Congratulations
by Sophie1989
Summary: Trouble ensues after Catherine lets Lindsay accompany her to work..expect the whole clan: Nick, Greg, Sara, Vartann, Brass, Grissom etc
1. The DNA Result

***** Liiiittle note - erm..I know NOTHING about the whole DNA process so big apologies if I describe a couple of things stupidly :) *** **

The sound of the clock that hung dutifully at the top of Catherine Willow's office door ticked loudly in her ears as she paced from one side of her office to the other, glancing out of the window of her closed door every time she passed it, looking out for that familiar someone. Letting out a huge impatient sigh she lifted a shaky hand up to a few strands of hair that had escaped from behind her ear and hastily shoved them back in place before turning to her desk. She couldn't help but stare at the seat that had been rolled violently back against one of the filing cabinets that sat behind her desk. It had been no more than fifteen minutes since her daughter had been seated there.  
Catherine took a deep breath, thinking back to the messy conversation that had just ensued, and fiddled nervously with one of the buttons belonging to the coat that had been placed around her moments earlier.

_Catherine made her way down the corridor towards her office, excited to see Lindsay after being out of the building for over four hours at a murder scene on the other side of town. Lindsay had been repeatedly frustrated with her mother's absence at home and even more so by how tired and stressed her mother was by the time she finally was home. So Catherine had suggested that her twenty year old daughter go to work with her for the night, just to see how much she had to do every shift. To see what the causes were for her tiredness and stress. Naturally she didn't want to expose Lindsay to the stomach-wrenching, toe-curling stench of the Autopsy rooms, nor would she ever want her to witness a murder-scene first hand - especially as Catherine had no idea herself what state the body or bodies would be in when they arrived. So she had assigned Lindsay to the lab where she knew her daughter would be safe, would have her attention occupied, and Lindsay would be in the smart, protective hands of Wendy, one of the lab ladies._

_Catherine stopped at the door of Wendy's lab and poked her head in expecting to see her daughter in a white lab coat with goggles on. But to her surprise the only person in the area was Wendy._

_Catherine: Hey. Where's Lindsay?_

_Wendy looked up and pulled her goggles over her head with a smile and motioned in the direction of Catherine's office:_

_Wendy: Your office._

_Catherine looked at her office door and noticed some movement from inside then turned back to Wendy expectantly:_

_CATHERINE: So…how did she do?_

_Wendy shot her boss a big smile and raised her eyebrows, clearly impressed:_

_WENDY: Good. I mean __really__ good. She's a smart one I give her that. We were looking at the Whittle case…_

_CATHERINE: The brother/sister DNA thing? Tricky stuff…_

_WENDY: Yeah, well she picked things up in a heartbeat. I managed to get her to do a couple of trials herself by the end of it._

_Catherine's heart warmed as she heard the compliments directed towards her daughter. She was relieved. She feared that Lindsay wouldn't have understood anything. That she would've felt as though she was thrown in the deep end. But from the sounds of things she hadn't._

_WENDY: You should employ her as a trainee or something, we could use an extra hand or two._

_Catherine raised her eyebrows and laughed slightly as Wendy shot her a wicked grin but she merely shook her head:_

_CATHERINE: Not while I'm here she wont._

_Catherine stepped out of the room with a smile, proud of her daughter's progress. She continued down the corridor and approached the door of her office. She took a fleeting look to her left through an open door at her colleague Nick who sat at his desk, his brow furrowed as he looked closely at some paperwork in the light from a lamp that sat on top of his desk. His face unscrewed as he looked up to see his strawberry blonde colleague looking over at him with a small smile on her face._

_NICK: You look pleased with yourself._

_Catherine took the line as an invitation and proceeded into his office and stopped just before his desk._

_CATHERINE: I've just got rave reviews from Wendy about Lindsay. Apparently she got on really well in the lab today._

_A smile grew on Nick's face as he looked at the proud, slightly gloating look on Catherine's face._

_NICK: Yeah she seemed to be doing alright from what I could see. I heard they were inspecting DNA to do with the Whittle kids._

_Catherine cocked her head slightly, curious as to how Nick knew, but she didn't need to explain - he had read her like a book:_

_NICK: Lindsay asked me about it just before she went into your office. Something about how accurate it is or something…_

_Catherine raised her eyebrows as she thought about the question:_

_CATHERINE: Probably the most accurate way of identifying family…_

_NICK: …Exactly what I said._

_The conversation came to an end at that and Catherine took the pause in conversation to note the strong scent of his aftershave that she always loved. It reminded her of the good old days. The days with no real status. The days when the two of them were just CSI's. No 'Supervisor' in their job titles. Nowadays the two of them had so much paperwork to do and work politics to sort out that neither of them had the time to be they way they used to be. The two of them hadn't had a proper giggle together in a long time. Not since Nick had hidden Gregg's headphones during a case a few years back. She couldn't remember a time since then when her stomach had ached that much from laughing. Catherine smiled as she remembered the priceless look on Nick's face as he denied all involvement in the prank. He had looked so young then. But as Catherine inspected his face she realised that the older Nick got, the more __attractive__ he got too. She loved the way that, when he smiled or laughed, little laughter lines would appear at the corner of his eyes. The way he raised his eyebrows whenever he made a suggestion. And she couldn't fault any part of his muscular body. But her favourite part of Nick was his soft brown eyes that, despite the strong presence Nick presented, revealed a venerable side of him. A venerable side that Catherine had been privileged enough to witness many a time in the twenty-odd years that they had known each other…_

_NICK: …What…?_

_Catherine jumped as she realised she had been staring at him and, embarrassed, looked down at the pile of paperwork that was sitting on the desk next to Nick's arm. She motioned towards it, slightly guilty that she had put them there for him to inspect:_

_CATHERINE: Got your work cut out for you?_

_Nick looked at the pile then back up at Catherine and laughed:_

_NICK: I did. But this is the pile I've looked at._

_He held up the file that he'd been inspecting as she had entered the office:_

_NICK: This is the last one._

_Catherine raised her eyebrows again as a big smile grew on her face. Nick was always sharp and a quick reader. No matter how many times she tried to catch him out with paperwork he always managed to get it done in time for the end of his shift. She was jealous at the talent he seemed to have but this was one of the reasons why she had promoted him to Assistant Supervisor. She knew that no matter how much mess she would get into, he would always be there to help her pick up the pieces. And most of the time the pieces were an overload of paperwork._

_CATHERINE: Finishing just in time for the end of your shift, lucky you._

_NICK: Well if you need me to look through any more cases I don't mind staying. It's not like I've got anything to get home to so…_

_Catherine noted it gratefully with a nod:_

_CATHERINE: Thanks, but you don't need to worry I'll stay on. You go home and get some rest._

_Nick nodded. He always wanted to support Catherine as much as possible, more so because he regarded her as his closest friend and he never liked seeing her stressed, but he wasn't going to deny an opportunity to go home on time and get some well earned sleep. He was shattered and knew better than to argue with her. He watched Catherine closely as she gave him a small smile and headed out of his office. He couldn't quite believe that the two of them had been working together for almost twenty three years. She had been there from the day he first started, always one position higher than him, but had always supported him whatever the situation. It was her friendship, her guidance and her respect towards him that gave Nick the feeling that no matter what would happen in his life, she would always be there for him. And it was this knowledge that always made Nick feel safe. He knew no words could ever describe his appreciation for her and as he watched her pause outside her office door and turn back one last time, he smiled:_

_NICK: I'll see you later._

_Catherine shot him a sleepy smile and nodded:_

_CATHERINE: Yeah, sleep tight._

_She watched as Nick smiled then resumed his concentration on the paperwork he held before him. She wished more than anything that it was her who was able to go home on time this morning but she knew that this was the curse she had signed up for when she had excepted the position of Supervisor on the Grave Shift. Sighing heavily, she opened the door to her office and stepped in, closing the door behind her. The room was silent and she looked over at her desk to see the ever familiar figure of her daughter sat at her desk and smiled._

_CATHERINE: I hear from Wendy that you've had a good shift. She was telling me how smart you are…_

_Her sentence was interrupted by a small snort that came from Lindsay. Catherine stepped closer to the desk to see that her excitement was not mirrored by her _

_daughter. There was something about her facial expression, Catherine noticed, that seemed as though she was confused and frustrated all at once. Lindsay clung tightly to a piece of paper as though trying to protect it's contents from her. There was a silence which Catherine hastily wanted to fill. She had known her daughter long enough to know that if something was bothering her then Catherine would have to talk about something meaningless until Lindsay was ready to tell her what was on her mind._

_CATHERINE: So…Nick was telling me you were doing something about DNA?_

_Lindsay's face flickered ever so slightly and Catherine knew she was on to something, but no words fell out of her daughter's mouth so she continued:_

_CATHERINE: DNA's a tricky thing to grasp. Did you understand everything?_

_Catherine's heart skipped a beat as Lindsay cleared her throat and spoke slowly, quietly yet with a slight hint of aggravation in her voice:_

_LINDSAY: Yeah, all but one thing. I was hoping you'd be able to help explain it?_

_Catherine glance at the sheet in her daughter's hands as Lindsay glanced down at it staring at one particular section with her face screwed up slightly, in confusion._

_CATHERINE: Well…of course._

_Lindsay took a deep breath and paused as she gathered her thoughts into a well planned sentence. The wait was killing Catherine who desperately wanted to know what was bothering her daughter:_

_LINDSAY: Wendy showed me what to do with the DNA to see about family members and so on…_

_CATHERINE: …For the Whittle case?_

_Lindsay slowly nodded and Catherine watched as tears slowly began to appear in her daughter's eyes. Her voice was shaky and nervous but her face remained steely, a look that Catherine recognised as her own. The look she used when she tried her hardest to remain unread:_

_LINDSAY: Well I thought it was really interesting so while Wendy was out of the room I…did my own DNA test…_

_Catherine frowned, confused as to why Lindsay was so upset. She wasn't mad at her daughter for doing her own DNA test. In fact Catherine had done something similar a few years back to define her paternity. Lindsay thrust the sheet towards her mother: _

_LINDSAY: I need you to explain these results._

_Catherine raised her eyebrows, surprised by her daughter's aggression, and willingly took the sheet. She explained each part aloud:_

_CATHERINE: Well the top part is, obviously, your information. Your blood type etc. Then you've got your results. My name, my blood type etc. Then Ed---_

_Catherine's heart jumped into her mouth stopping her from furthering her sentence. She stared at that point in the paper that Lindsay had been staring at. Her stomach twisted and suddenly she felt sick as her daughter's voice became louder and more irritated by the second._

_LINDSAY: Well?? Care to explain how, for the past twenty years, I've believed that Eddie was my father?_

_CATHERINE: I…I don't understand…he…__is__…_

_Lindsay stood up abruptly, causing the chair she had been sitting on to slam against the filing cabinet behind her._

_LINDSAY: No he's not! Because __this__--_

_Lindsay wrenched the paper from her mother's trembling hands and held it in front of her to emphasise her point:_

_LINDSAY: --is a DNA test and according to __him__--_

_Catherine watched as her daughter pointed angrily at the wall knowing full well that the person on the other side of it was who she was referring to._

_LINDSAY: --they are the most accurate way of telling who your family is. Who your __father__ is!_

_Catherine began to feel light headed as she watched her daughter look at her in disappointment. She took a deep breath, pushed her unruly hair behind her ear and placed her hands on her hips as her daughter continued with a more quiet, yet frustrated voice:_

_LINDSAY: Why didn't you tell me?_

_CATHERINE: I didn't know…_

_Lindsay scoffed as she unwittingly mirrored her mother by pushing her blonde hair behind her ears and placing her hands on her hips:_

_LINDSAY: __How__ could you not know Mum?? I mean…__surely__ there must have been this little niggle in the back of your mind saying 'I wonder' or 'what if'?_

_Catherine was beginning to get frustrated, with herself more that anything. She tried thinking back twenty one years. Back to that night.. Her voice became more irritated:_

_CATHERINE: I don't remember. We were drunk…I couldn't remember if we actually went the whole way or not…I just…I figured we didn't and left it at that._

_LINDSAY: Left it at that? Left it at __that__?! I've spent most of my life thinking my father was dead…but actually he wasn't really my father. The man who is, is still alive.. And what about __him__.._

_Catherine sighed slightly as her daughter pointed angrily at that same wall again to emphasis her point:_

_LINDSAY: ..He has no idea that this whole time he's had a daughter…he's been living a life without a family he doesn't know about and you just left it at that?!_

_Catherine was taken aback by her daughter's analysis. The truth. And her mature way of evaluating the situation. Catherine was struggling herself to come to terms with the truth and she looked at Lindsay in desperation._

_CATHERINE: Like I said I couldn't remember. I didn't want to risk either of you getting hurt by digging up history. What if I'd gone through all that DNA analysis and given you this small glimmer of hope that maybe you still had a father who was alive, only for you to find out that Eddie __was__ your father and he was still dead._

_LINDSAY: But Mum he __isn't__ my father…_

_The room fell silent as both women thought about the recent revelation. All that could be heard was the ticking of the clock that hung above the door of Catherine's office. She looked at the young woman before her. Her daughter. She hadn't realised how grown up she now was. She hadn't realised how much her daughter had become like her. Sharp and smart with a short fuse that Catherine knew would calm down after a few more years. Lindsay was a younger version of herself. __Catherine had tried so desperately hard to make her daughter's life a better one than her own. A life without lies or betrayal. But here she was making the same mistake her own mother had made: she had left her daughter to discover the true identity of her father. Except this time around the mother had had no idea herself._

_LINDSAY: You need to tell him._

_CATHERINE: What?_

_LINDSAY: You need to tell Nick._

_Catherine couldn't help but feel guilty as she looked at the disappointed face of her daughter. She had failed her. Their silence was interrupted by a light tap on the door and both women took a deep breath as Nick walked into the room._

_NICK: Hey. Sorry to interrupt Cath. I'm all done._

_Catherine could feel the tension in the room between Lindsay and herself and tried desperately hard to hide it from Nick, but he was too quick._

_NICK: Is everything okay?_

_Neither women answered him and his attention was drawn to the huge pile of files that were stacked on Catherine's desk. His heart melted. He knew that it must be hard for Lindsay having her mum at work for so long. At least Catherine had someone to go home to. Someone to look after. He presumed that was why they had been arguing. Because Catherine had told Lindsay that she had to stay late. He strode over to the desk and picked up the files._

_NICK: Here, let me take these and I'll look through them._

_Catherine watched as Lindsay took a step back keeping the paper away from his view. This was the first time she had seen the two of them together and it was bizarre to think that Nick was, infact, Lindsay's biological father. She could tell that Lindsay was finding it just as weird. The two women held such a huge secret that could blow this man's world to pieces. And Catherine knew in an instant that this precise moment was not a good time to do that:_

_CATHERINE: Oh Nick, no you don't have to---_

_She watched as the files that she had had to take three different trips to bring into her office, rested comfortably all together in his strong arms. Nick stopped less than a metre from her on his way out of the office and gave her a small grin. Usually Catherine didn't mind about their spatial awareness but she couldn't help being aware at just how close he was to her in this big room. She was scared that if he got any closer he could hear her heart racing and question it._

_NICK: It's okay, I don't mind. Like I say I don't have anyone to go home to. At least you have Lindsay._

_Catherine's stomach twisted again as guilt struck her for the millionth time that morning and she watched as he walked out of her office and struggled to shut the door behind him. She felt like calling after him 'you have Lindsay too' but the words stuck in her throat. She was too nervous. She turned back to Lindsay who was staring at the door where Nick had once stood, clearly in just as much awkward shock as Catherine had been. They stood motionless and after a few moments of silence Lindsay cleared her throat._

_LINDSAY: So…What happened? I mean, you were married to Eddie right? _

_Catherine looked at her daughter who's face had softened slightly and nodded before taking a deep breath. She had never wanted to tell Lindsay what her father had __truly__ been like. But then again, Eddie wasn't her father._

_CATHERINE: Eddie and I had a rocky marriage from the start. A few years in he became an alcoholic, started becoming abusive…_

_Catherine watched as her daughter took a deep breath and she knew the next few things she said would change her daughter's initial anger and disappointment._

_CATHERINE: …one morning he'd hit me pretty hard and I cracked a rib. I went to the hospital of course. Told them I'd fell. Then I went to work. I was put on a case with Nicky. He'd been working with me a couple of years and knew me well. So well he didn't need to look twice at me before he knew something was wrong._

_Lindsay watched as a look had appeared on her mother's face that she had never seen before. A look of fear. She had never known her mother to be afraid of __anything__. That was the one thing Lindsay admired Catherine for the most, her bravery throughout any situation. But it was clear that being with Eddie had been one of the worst ordeals of her mother's life._

_LINDSAY: Did you tell him what Eddie did?_

_Catherine nodded as she thought back to Nick's reaction. He'd looked so concerned. No guy she had ever known, friend, lover or otherwise had ever looked at her the way Nick had in that moment. _

_CATHERINE: I made him swear not to tell anyone else and for days he kept an eye on me at work, making sure we shared the same cases so he could…_

_Catherine paused as she struggled to find the right word to describe Nick's actions:_

_CATHERINE: …protect me I suppose._

_She smiled slightly as she thought back to all the times that Nick would ask if she was okay, if Eddie had attacked her again and his look of relief every time she had told him he hadn't._

_CATHERINE: Anyway one night we'd finished this really gruesome, intense case and were given the option to go home early. I didn't want to go back to Eddie as I was scared about what state he would be in. So I asked Nick to come out for a drink instead. I always felt safe around him. Still do._

_LINDSAY: And let me guess…a billion drinks later you were back at his…_

_Catherine nodded with a small smile as Lindsay raised her hand in an 'I-don't-need-to-hear-anymore' way. The room fell into silence again as Catherine watched her daughter's sharp blue eyes inspecting her, trying to read her mind._

_LINDSAY: It's funny…for a violent guy, Eddie was never like that around me…_

_Catherine smiled slightly as she remembered the night Lindsay was born. Eddie had missed the whole thing and finally dragged himself to her bedside at 9am the next morning. He had been gambling. But the moment he clasped eyes on their daughter…__her__ daughter…he promised he would change._

_CATHERINE: From the moment you were born he gave up alcohol. He gave up being aggressive. You brought out the side of him that I had fallen in love with the first time I'd met him. You brought out the best in him._

_Lindsay smiled, grateful for the compliment but as she thought about it, she realised it didn't matter. None of it did. At the end of the day he wasn't her father. He had never been her father. Her face fell as an early memory flashed in her mind._

_LINDSAY: He wasn't the best all the time. I remember he hit you once. Knocked you out cold…_

_Catherine shuffled her feet nervously and looked down at her hand that was lightly tracing over the desktop._

_CATHERINE: He…erm…I guess he liked the power._

_Lindsay couldn't believe that her mother had been so strong yet so stupid to have stayed with this abusive man for so long. Especially when her __real__ father seemed like he would've treated her with proper respect. The way a husband should really treat his wife._

_LINDSAY: So why did you stay? I mean…Nick's such a good guy…why did you stay with Eddie?_

_Catherine looked nervously up at her daughter, not wanting to make her feel guilty but there was no other way to say it:_

_CATHERINE: For you. You loved him so much. I didn't want to break up the family unit you knew so well so…I stayed for you._

_Lindsay's face darkened and Catherine knew her daughter hadn't taken things as well as she'd hope:_

_LINDSAY: Well you were an idiot._

_Catherine opened her mouth to protest but before she knew it the small young blonde she knew as her daughter had picked up her bag that had been lying on the desk and begun to walk towards the door. Catherine bolted after Lindsay as the door swung open:_

_CATHERINE: Lindsay wait! Where are you going??_

_She watched as her daughter stopped abruptly and swung around to face her in frustration._

_LINDSAY: Out. I need to clear my head. And __you__ need to tell him._

_Catherine sighed for what felt like the millionth time and put her hands over her face as her daughter motioned towards Nick's office again. The heat of the conversation had brought the two women's voices up in volume and Catherine began to speak to her daughter in a desperate tone:_

_CATHERINE: Wha…__how__?? I wouldn't know where to start..._

_Lindsay was starting to lose her patience. She had thought that her mother was used to taking charge of situations by now - after all it was her job - and this was one of the most important situations of their lives. Lindsay knew it wasn't her place to tell Nick. She couldn't just waltz up to him and say 'Hey Nick. By the way, you're my biological father.' No. It couldn't come from anyone else but her mother._

_LINDSAY: Just…deep breath then take the plunge!_

_Catherine hesitated, knowing that her daughter was right. Hating that her daughter was right. She looked over to her right through the open door of Nick's office and her heart fell as she saw him slowly walking over to them wearing a confused expression on his face. She turned to her daughter who was giving her a "what are you waiting for" look and she groaned slightly:_

_CATHERINE: Ugh, I cant do this. _

_And as much as she hated being defeated, Catherine quickly walked back into her office and perched on the edge of her desk as the feeling of sickness rose from the pit of her stomach. Her heart started to race with nerves as she looked over at Nick who had just approached her daughter with a questioning expression and he looked into her office. She caught his dark brown eyes and Catherine felt an unusual melting sensation._

_NICK: What's wrong?_

_Lindsay exhaled loudly as her mother broke eye contact with the two of them and looked over at a bookshelf in her office instead. She could understand why her mother was nervous. After all, she had so much to lose if Nick didn't take the news well. She could lose a strong partnership at work, as well as a very close friend. Lindsay knew how much Nick meant to her mother. She couldn't count the amount of time's her mother had come home and talked about her shift - which usually began with "Nick and I" and ended with "So I guess I'll just ask Nick tonight" with lots of "Nick" bits in between. Catherine's defence, when challenged, had always been that when anything happened, Nick was usually on the scene. But Lindsay was sure that there was more to it then that. That maybe her mother noticed Nick more than she noticed anybody else. Lindsay could feel Nick's eyes staring at her and she continued to look over at her mother's nervous figure. She had never seen her like this before and it was possibly this venerability that made Lindsay decide that she had to take charge of the situation. For her mum. For her Dad. She sighed again and turned to Nick with a quiet, almost disappointed voice._

_LINDSAY: Here. Congratulations._

_Catherine looked up as she watched her daughter hand him the piece of paper. She was so nervous. Her heart was pounding and her hands had become sweaty with nerves. Tears began to spring into her eyes as she watched for Nick's inevitable reaction. _

_LINDSAY: We just found out. If it helps, Mum never knew but…I guess you'll need to talk to her about that._

_Catherine watched on as Nick looked up from the sheet to their daughter in shock. His eyes were like saucers and studied every detail of the girl that stood before him._

_LINDSAY: I'm gonna go out for a bit. I'm ready to talk when you are…if you ever are of course._

_After a short pause a small smile grew on Nick's face which Lindsay gratefully received and sent back as he slowly nodded at her then watched as his daughter walked away down the corridor. Catherine stood up nervously as Nick entered her office and held up the sheet with an equally nervous look on his face:_

_NICK: So…this legit?_

_Catherine breathed out nervously and nodded:_

_CATHERINE: Yeah, I guess so._

_NICK: Right…_

_Catherine watched on as Nick looked back down at the sheet, still in shock but his face had softened since the initial surprise. She was just so relieved he was still here. Still stood in this room. Willing, even slightly, to still stand near her. Not sickened by her presence. But it was still very early days. Catherine always expected failure when it came to building any kind of relationship. No matter how hard she tried, in the end she and Lindsay always ended up alone. She never __ever__ wanted to get into a situation like this, where the outcome would be her worst nightmare. That she would be left to live her life without Nick in it. The butterflies raced around in her stomach as she watched him look up at her and raise his eyebrows:_

_NICK: We're gonna need some coffee._

_A huge wave of relief rushed over Catherine as she watched Nick walk over to the coat stand that sat in the corner of her room. As he plucked her coat off one of the hooks and walked over to her, he gave her a small reassuring smile. A smile that Catherine knew meant that everything was going to be okay. She automatically stuck her arms through the sleeves of the coat that Nick held out for her and a small tingle ran over her shoulders as he affectionately straightened out the collar for her._

_NICK: I'll just grab my coat._

Nick had been out of the room for five minutes and Catherine was beginning to worry. 'Great,' she thought to herself, 'He's done a runner.' As much as she wanted to laugh at the stupidity of the idea, that doing a runner wasn't Nick's style especially when she was concerned, Catherine still had this tiny little fear in the back of her mind that he had abandoned her. She took up the pacing again, continuing to look through the window of her office door at every lap. Suddenly, to her relief, Nick opened the door and poked his head into the room with a nervous little smile.

NICK: Ready to go?

Catherine nodded, mirroring his nervous smile and took a deep breath before walking out of the safe little bubble that was her office, back into reality. She closed the door behind her and locked it, very aware that several of her colleagues were looking at her in curiosity. She looked up at Nick for an answer which he delivered by putting his lips to her ear and speaking in a very low voice:

NICK: You just had a major blow up with your daughter.

Catherine's heart fell as she realised that thanks to her heated argument with Lindsay, now the whole of her department knew that Nick had fathered her daughter. Her breath became short and sharp as she began to panic. Eckley was bound to find out, if he didn't already, after all gossip spread like wildfire around here. Eckley would move Nick to the day shift which meant that Catherine would barely see him, if at all. The idea of not being able to see Nick, let alone not work with him, put the fear of God into her. Who would be there to help pick up the pieces? To sense when something wasnt right with her? To know when she needed to talk and to be that person to talk to? Suddenly she snapped out of her worrying daydream as she felt Nick's hand on the small of her back and she looked up at his reassuring face as he resumed his lips to her ear.

NICK: Don't panic. They didn't hear words. Just muffled shouts and the odd bang here and there.

Catherine thought back to Lindsay's outburst and the chair hitting the filing cabinet.

NICK: No one knows anything except us.

Catherine exhaled in relief and smiled gratefully up at Nick as they began walking down the corridor towards the lift, his hand still protectively on her lower back. She was just glad he was still here.

*******

**Comments and feedback are really appreciated, especially as this is the first CSI fanfic I've ever written.. **

**I just like CatNip and LOVE writing romance (especially when the couple's potential love seems so forbidden) and I wanted to do a little story about them whilst trying my hardest to remember that these guys are pretty senior at what they do and wouldnt want to jeopodise their jobs (so the producers of the show tend to say...humph!) **

**I also tried to keep the whole _rocky mother-daughter relationship_ that Catherine and Lindsay seem to have tied in too..should be interesting to see where this might go..**

**Let me know if you want me to continue. Took me a couple of days (in between work n stuff) to write this chapter so bare with me for the next part, if you want it to be written of course :)**

**Oh and thanks for reading! Soph xxx**


	2. The Sugar Shaker

Catherine plonked herself down in a little booth that stood in the far corner of the café that was located just two blocks from her work. With a shaky hand she wiped back a stray strand of blonde hair that hung from her head over her face and took a deep shuddering breath as she nervously looked over her shoulder at Nick, who was leaning against the counter to her left, talking closely with a waitress who wore a big smile on her face. Catherine forced a small grin to appear at the corner of her lips, purely out of admiration that her colleague never really had much trouble putting a smile on any woman's face. But there was a small feeling of disappointment that hit Catherine in the pit of her stomach. Almost as though she wished that she was in the waitress's shoes and Nick was hitting on her. She quickly looked back at the table, closed her eyes and put her hands to her head, trying to massage the thought out of her mind. It didn't matter what sort of history they had, she and Nick could never be romantically involved. Catherine hated using technicalities when he was involved but _technically_ she was his boss. That tiny little bit higher on the ladder then he was. But she always considered him as her equal because they had spent so many years working together, because they knew each other inside out, because they were always there for each other, because neither of them had discussed the difference in their roles as CSI's, because both would treat the other with the same amount of respect.

NICK: Here.

Catherine opened her eyes to see a large mug of coffee sitting on the table before her. She could tell by the shadows on the table that Nick had sat opposite her but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. Not just yet. She could never admit it, but she was scared. Scared of what he might say. Scared of how differently he might look at her now he knew the truth. Scared that she might look at _him_ differently now she knew the truth. She had had so many rocky relationships in the past. Relationships that had ended very messy. And she couldn't deny that many of them had ended badly because of her decisions. Her actions.

Nick watched the blonde woman opposite him intently - her lack of words and eye contact making him more and more nervous by the second. What if she didn't want to be friends with him anymore? What if she didn't want to work with him? What if she applied for him to be moved to the day shift? Nick wasn't sure if he could cope working a shift without her. He didn't like to admit it, but she was part of the reason why he went to work everyday. Sure he loved his job and the whole process it took to solve a murder. He spent most of his life at work and the team had become his family, but Catherine was something special. Maybe it was because he had spent so many years by her side, working with her night after night, Nick wasn't sure. But from the moment he woke up every afternoon and got ready for work he knew for sure that she would be there. She was the only woman in his life who had stuck around. Of course he knew she didn't stick around necessarily _for_ him, but it was this routine of seeing Catherine almost everyday for the past twenty-odd years that had always given Nick this sense of security. A sense of security not even his mother had ever given him.

He watched as she sighed and slowly took her teaspoon in one hand, clearly deep in thought as she picked up the sugar shaker in the other. Nick quickly raised his hand and put it over her small soft hand that gripped the shaker. Catherine had to catch her breath as the feel of his touch sent an electric sensation all the way up her arm to her heart that beat faster and faster with every passing minute.

NICK: Double shot latte with four spoonfuls of sugar…

Catherine looked up and for the first time since they had pushed the button for the lift at work, her bright blue eyes locked with his dark brown. He knew. _He knew everything_ about her. Nick smiled and answered her questioning look with a raise of his eyebrows:

NICK: …I've been buying you coffee for over twenty years Cath, I know the way you have it.

A wide smile crept onto Catherine's face as she placed the shaker back down onto the surface of the table and began stirring her coffee slowly, trying to find something to say as she watched Nick concentrate on blowing the steam from the top of his coffee. She looked over to the piece of paper that laid, neatly folded in half, by his elbow. _That_ piece of paper. The piece of paper that proved everything she had once believed in was pretty much a lie. The piece of paper that could potentially ruin the strongest friendship she had clung to for so many years. The last proper friendship she had left. The friendship that always gave her hope for a good night at work. He was always there from the start of the shift right to the very end. With those eyes. That smile. That understanding that no other member of her team held. She had to tell him, she had to _prove_ to him that she hadn't known. Maybe there had been a typing error? Maybe it was some twisted trick that Lindsay had played on her? A call for attention maybe?

Nick felt something being tugged from underneath his elbow. He looked up to see Catherine gently take the piece of paper, unfold it and, with an almost silent sigh, re-read it again. There was something about the look on her face that made Nick sure she hadn't been this a secret from him for the whole of Lindsay's life. Her daughter…_their_ daughter had quite simply come across the results by accident. He knew Catherine. He trusted Catherine. He knew she would never keep something as important as this from him.

CATHERINE: What Lindsay said back there, you know, about me not knowing…it's true…I had no idea you were---

NICK: ---I know.

Catherine looked into his deep brown eyes and her nerves slowly started to slip away. He believed her. _Of course _he believed her. This was Nick. Somehow they had gotten to a point in their friendship where the two of them didn't need to say anything. Just one look was enough to know what the other was thinking. Catherine knew that, when Nick was concerned, she didn't need to explain anything, he always understood. The two drifted into silence, both content with looking into each other's eyes, letting the sounds of the noisy café drown into nothingness as their thoughts consumed their tired bodies.

Suddenly Catherine heard someone cough and she spun out of her daydream then looked up to see the waitress from earlier looking at her with a big excitable grin on her face and carrying two huge plates in one hand, with a big plastic bottle in the other. Catherine furrowed her brow slightly as the waitress placed the bottle on the table before placing the two plates in front of their respective owners:

WAITRESS: Eggs and Bacon for you sir…aaaand…a double helping of Sugar Pancakes with extra syrup on the side for you maam…enjoy!

Catherine couldn't believe her eyes as she looked from her huge plate of food up to the cheeky grin that was plastered on her colleagues face.

CATHERINE: …wha---when did you do this??

Nick merely shrugged and began cutting up one of the eggs on his plate. He knew how hungry Catherine always was after a shift. Especially one that had been stressful enough without the added shock of Lindsay's revelation. He thought back to the look on Catherine's face when he had looked from the results on that piece of paper to her as she had sat nervously on the edge of her desk. He remembered the sight of her eyes as they glistened with tears. And she had worn this look. A look he couldn't describe. A look he had never seen before. A look he never wanted to see again. In that moment Nick knew that he had to try and make things better. And what was better then surprising her with a double portion of her favourite breakfast? Nick looked up and couldn't help but grin at his colleague's face as she stared at him with a bemused look on her face.

NICK: I phoned ahead. I had a feeling you might be hungry and you always talk about how you never make yourself breakfast when you get home because you're too tired…so I just gave Suzie over there a call and she sorted out the rest.

Catherine couldn't help but blush as she looked over her shoulder at the counter where the beaming waitress gave them a big wave. Catherine turned back to look at Nick's smiling face. It wasn't often people did nice things for her. A smile here or there from people was usually enough to keep her happy (Though in her line of work smiles were scarce) but Nick had actually gone out of his way to do something that he _knew_ would make her happy. And no matter how tired she felt, no matter how much she wanted to go home and curl up in her huge bed all alone, having breakfast with her best friend seemed a hundred times better. So, with a huge smile plastered over her face, she picked up the bottle of syrup and proceeded to squeeze it all over the pancakes, not taking her eyes off Nick once.

CATHERINE: You're one of a kind Nicky.

Nick swallowed a piece of egg with a smile and raised his eyebrows in pride:

NICK: I know.

And his heart raced as he watched the woman opposite him throw back her strawberry blonde head and laugh out loud at his modesty. The Catherine he knew and loved best was back - giggly and happy as ever.

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**Big thanks for the reviews, hope you enjoyed this update.  
I'm thinking of adding Lindsay into the next chapter - good idea?  
I'm gonna pop in a new little twist too.  
****All comments are warmly received with MASSIVE thanks :) much love xx**

*******


	3. The Memories

Catherine pushed back her empty plate with a smile, happy with the unusual feeling of having a full stomach - it didn't happen very often. Nick looked at her, impressed at the speed in which his colleague had wolfed down her breakfast. He swallowed another mouthful of his own before motioning to the empty plate that sat in front of her, a mirroring smile on his face:

NICK: See, I knew you were hungry.

Catherine nodded slowly as a tired wave rushed over her over worked, under rested body. A sleepy smile was still plastered over her face and they spent the next minute or so in silence as Nick finished his breakfast, stealing glances at each other every so often. Catherine found her fingernails tracing over the crease in the folded piece of paper as she mused over what Nick might ask her next.

She watched as he sighed heavily, pushed his empty plate to the side and leaned back while rubbing his full stomach. She couldn't take her eyes off him. There was _nothing_ about him that reminded her of Lindsay. But to be fair, Catherine had been the main influence in her life, so not only did Lindsay look the spit of her, she had also picked up a lot of her mannerisms. Nick had never got a chance to influence their daughter in any way. She watched him stare at the paper that was being moved between her fingertips as he took a gulp of fresh coffee that had been placed before them only a couple of minutes ago and she wondered what he was thinking.

CATHERINE: Do you remember anything about, you know, what happened…all those years ago?

Her question had taken Nick completely by surprise. He looked up into her deep blue eyes as he thought back. He remembered all right. How could he forget? From the moment she had helped him solve his first case Nick had always wondered what it'd be like to be with Catherine. Physically. Emotionally. But she hadn't been married too long when they had first met and he had known instantly she was off limits, for that reason and that they could both potentially lose their jobs should they ever be involved in a relationship that was anything more than platonic. So he had put his feelings in a little box and locked them up in the back of his mind, knowing full well that he could never let them out.

He remembered the moment Catherine had confided in him about Eddie's abuse. He had never felt so much anger towards one man in his whole life. Nor had he felt so much love for one woman as she melted into his arms, tears flooding down her face as she described the attacks. Tears of fear. Tears of shame. He remembered telling her that he would protect her. That he would make sure she would never feel pain like that again. He remembered the sinking feeling in his stomach the night she had arrived at work, wincing in pain from the broken rib she had just sustained. The knowledge that he hadn't kept his word. That he _hadn't_ protected her like he said he would. He remembered the next few days after that, thinking about her non-stop, hoping she was safe. Hoping that Eddie hadn't beaten her to an early grave. He remembered the feeling of relief every time she arrived at work slightly better than the previous night. Her confirmation that Eddie hadn't touched her again.

Then that double shift they had pulled. The gruesome case that meant neither of them had left each other's side in over twenty-four hours. Those sacred words that Grissom had told them, "Go home you two. You've done enough for one shift".

He remembered stepping into the locker room. Seeing her nervously putting on her coat and pulling her strawberry blonde hair out from beneath it, out over her shoulders. The look on her face had said it all. He'd known all along that she hadn't wanted to go home. That she'd enjoyed the safety of work. That maybe she had enjoyed the safety of him, just as he had of her. He remembered his heart racing as the two of them had locked eyes. Both of them fearing the same thing. Then that moment she had asked him to go for a drink with her, telling him that she didn't want to go home. That she felt safe with him. He remembered how proud he had felt to have her on his arm as they walked into the first bar, even though he knew she wasn't his. The details following that, to him, had been blurry at the time and especially the next morning. But now he could remember. They had been sat together in a booth when he had ordered his sixth beer and her fourth cocktail. Both of them were renowned for not being able to hold much of a drink. He had had an arm on the back of the seat, lolling it behind her as she leaned her head into the little nook between his shoulder and chest. He remembered her words spoken with such conviction, "I don't know what I'd do without you Nicky." The feel of her hand gently intertwining in his as the two of them relaxed into each other's arms without a care in the world. Then that perfect moment in the booth, where the two of them had faced each other. Nick remembered the strange sensation that had electrified his lips as Catherine had placed hers on his. The tenderness of this kiss, their first kiss, had been the most amazing feeling in the world. As though everything they had been through together for the past couple of years had lead to this one moment. They had both parted, mirroring each other's goofy smiles. Nick remembered the passion he had felt when they had closed that space between them again. Their kisses were firmer, more fervent, more driven towards a hopeful conclusion.

He couldn't remember finishing the beer. All he could remember after that was stumbling out of a taxi, running around to open the door for her and helping her out of the vehicle. Then staggering up to his house, both stealing kisses every few seconds, their bodies equally yearning for more. He remembered the desperation in her voice, willing him to hurry up as he struggled to find his keys. Then the loud bang the door had made as the two of them slammed into the house, wrapped around each other, kissing passionately. He had no idea how they had managed to find a way of getting up the stairs, nor how they had managed to find his room. But they had and before they knew it they had been clumsily tugging each other's clothes off, desperate for the taste of different flesh other than their lips.

Nick shuffled uncomfortably in his seat as he felt himself blushing and he snapped back into the room, looking back into the eyes of the woman that he had loved for so long. With one simple question she had managed to unlock that box of feelings in his mind.

NICK: Yeah…I remember.

CATHERINE: Oh…

He watched her furrow her brow and look back down at the results, staring intently at his name that was written in bold black capitals. He wondered why she was so confused about this outcome. Surely it had been a two horse race. Him or Eddie.

NICK: At the time, was it not even a slight possibility that I could've been Lindsay's father?

Catherine took a deep breath and looked up into his puppy dog eyes, crushed that she was slowly ruining the life of her best friend. She had never seen him look at her that way. As though he was disappointed. He had never done _anything_ to hurt her, yet here she was, practically ripping out his heart with every word.

CATHERINE: I suppose so…I just…I don't remember you…you know…

Catherine cringed. In the whole twenty odd years that they had known each other they had never _really_ talked about sex. With each other or withother people. The only time they had even touched upon the subject was the morning after that one time. When she had slowly opened her eyes to the sound of birds singing in the trees and sunlight streaming into an unfamiliar room, lighting up a digital clock on a nightstand that she was facing. She could remember feeling light headed and trying to pull her hand up to her head, before realising it was intertwined with another hand that belonged to the arm that was wrapped around her waist. Then she had smelt a very familiar smell. That scent. That male aftershave. She wasn't used to waking up to it. But she knew it was him. She knew she was safe. She remembered slowly turning around to face him as he looked up at her. A nervous smile on each other's face as they evaluated the outcome of last night, thanks to their two naked bodies. She remembered sighing sadly, that feeling of disappointment as she told him exactly what the two of them knew. That neither of them could ever be in this situation again, no matter how much they wanted to be. She remembered the feeling of brief unhappiness as he sadly agreed. Both had ended their brief fling with admission that it was nice to wake up together. That it was nice to feel loved again. That it was nice that they could remain friends again despite this newly made history.

CATHERINE: …I don't remember you…climaxing…

She blushed at the confession and looked from the piece of paper back up to Nick's face which hadn't changed its expression since he had first asked the question.

CATHERINE: I'm sorry I just---

NICK: Believe me, I did…

Talking about something that had been such a personal moment in such a blunt way killed the conversation and the two of them sat in silence, sipping from their own coffee mugs as they sat in deep thought.

NICK: Why did you stay with him?

Catherine became nervous again. She knew full well who Nick was talking about. And ironically he was asking the exact same question their daughter had asked her not too long ago. She kept her voice low, ashamed of her answer:

CATHERINE: I _had_ to Nicky. Eddie was my husband…

Nick's voice rose a bit. He wasn't sure if it was in desperation, frustration or the need to prove his point:

NICK: But he didn't love you. He abused you Catherine!

Catherine didn't flinch at his raised voice. She had heard it more than enough times at work. It was the tone of voice he used when he felt passionately about a case. The difference was this time the case was her.

CATHERINE: Yeah, and the moment he knew I was pregnant he stopped! He was back to being the old Eddie that I had first fallen in love with.

They both fell into silence again. Catherine's heart rate had increased again and she took long deep breaths to try and calm herself down, taking a big gulp of her coffee and looking at a picture that hung on the wall next to them.

NICK: I wouldn't have abused you.

The way he had said the words, with such tenderness and sincerity, made Catherine turn to look at him instantly. Butterflies raced around in her stomach as a small smile twitched once in the corner of her mouth and she reached out, gently taking his hand in hers, her voice almost as affectionate as his:

CATHERINE: I know.

The touch of her hand made Nick's initial fears seep away and the room around them almost disappeared as he told her everything he'd been wanting to say since he had read the results outside her office earlier that morning.

NICK: I would've understood that you wanted a career. I would've been a stay-at-home dad. I would've looked after both you and Lindsay. You both would've been safe.

Catherine was surprised by his confession. No man had ever accepted that she was a career woman. Not even her own father. Yet everything Nick was saying, the perfect little life that he was describing, the perfect little life that they _could_ have had together was secretly something Catherine had always craved. The two of them, Lindsay and god knows how many other kids they might have had living all together in perfect unity. Catherine suddenly wished that the decisions she had made when she was pregnant, when Lindsay was born, when Lindsay was growing up…she wished they had been different. But it was so easy to dream when they had hindsight by their side.

CATHERINE: You were so young Nicky. It wouldn't have been fair to rope you into a relationship this complicated so early on in your career.

NICK: I wouldn't have minded.

Catherine thought back to his competitive streak when they had first met. It was that part of Nick's personality that she had initially been attracted to, his good looks had just been a plus.

CATHERINE: You _would_ have minded Nicky. Where we are today in the unit is the level we all envisioned ourselves being at when we're training as twenty-somethings. If you couldn't work or progress because of having to juggle a family life you would've gone mad. And I would've felt _so_ guilty. I knew you just as well back then as I do now, Nicky. Being a family just would never have worked at the time.

Nick looked down at his coffee sadly. He knew she was right. That the decisions she had made may have not been in her best interest but it had been in his. Whether it had been the best decision for Lindsay too, they would never know. Nick looked back up at Catherine's concerned face and gave her hand a little squeeze before letting it go for the first time since she had grabbed it, and sipped his coffee again.

NICK: So what about now?

Catherine took her hand back, sad that she no longer had any contact with the man that sat across from her. She thought about the last moment she saw Lindsay. Her daughter had been willing to get to know Nick. At least she had at the time. But Lindsay had been given some time to think now, and if she knew her daughter as well as she thought she did, she knew that Lindsay might have changed her mind.

CATHERINE: Well if Lindsay is okay to meet up with you then I guess we just leave the balls in her court and take it from there.

Nick nodded slowly, not expecting an answer, let alone that answer.

NICK: Sounds like a good idea. But I meant about us. You said being a family would never have worked at the time. What about now?

Catherine's eyes darted around the café, worried that someone from work was in earshot, ready to pounce on and challenge them about their conversation. He had caught her off guard with his question. She hadn't even realised she had worded her sentence to make it sound like she was suggesting they start a relationship.

CATHERINE: Nick…

There was a slight hint of frustration in her voice and Nick had a horrible feeling that he'd overstepped the mark as she sighed. He already knew the answer as he looked into her eyes that were marked with disappointment.

CATHERINE: …You know we cant. Ecklie would move one of us to days. We'd never see each other at the best of times. We'd always be on opposite shifts---

NICK: You and Lindsay could move in with me. Or vice-versa. Or we could get a place together…

CATHERINE: And then what? We'd see each other every other Sunday _if_ we both manage to get the same day off. Sure we'd sleep in the same bed but not together because we'd be on opposite shifts…

Nick could tell that she'd thought all of this through before now and he could sense the sting in her voice as she ended her sentence sadly and quietly:

CATHERINE: I just couldn't work a shift without you Nick.

Nick sighed and looked back down at his coffee, gutted that they both felt the same way but couldn't act upon their emotions. He felt her small, warm hand envelope it's way around his cold hand again and a small smile of understanding etched into his face as he looked up at her deep blue eyes that sparkled with the hint of tears.

NICK: I suppose we still have retirement.

And to his delight, a familiar giggle fell out of Catherine's mouth as she wiped a stray tear that had fallen down her face. She squeezed his hand affectionately and spoke in a whisper:

CATHERINE: Yeah.

* * *

**What dya think? Hope it's up to a decent enough standard and you're still enjoying the story :) Will update asap! Thanks for all the lovely comments xx Soph xx**


	4. The Chatup Line

Lindsay stepped into the brightly sunlit café and, with a big yawn, took a seat on one of the bar stools that were placed neatly in front of the counter. She glanced down at her watch and raised her eyebrows. She hadn't expected it to only take her five minutes to race out of her Mum's office. Then again she hadn't realised how fast she was walking, nor had she really been paying attention to where she had been going. All she knew was that she was over tired, over hungry, and still needed lots of time to think.

Lindsay looked over for the nearest waitress and to her dismay, she could only see one who was clearly receiving exciting news on the phone. She caught titbits of her conversation with phrases such as "Oh she's so lucky!", "I wish my boyfriend would do that for me!" and "Let me know where you're sitting when you get in". Lindsay put a hand to her belly as it rumbled ferociously. She hadn't eaten since her Mum had driven the two of them to work.  
Catherine had reassured her before they had left that neither of them would have any time to eat, so she had been forced to join her mother in eating a couple of cheese sandwiches that Catherine had prepared that afternoon. And Lindsay was relieved she had. As she thought about events leading up to their arrival at her Mum's work, she groaned in frustration and put her hands to her head. She would have to wait for her Mum to drive her home this morning. Catherine always had priority over the car which meant it was rarely in the drive, but on the off chance that it wasn't being used by her Mum, Lindsay was usually allowed to drive it to her friend's house. But right now she had no idea where her Mum was, nor did she fancy having to go out and find her. She couldn't walk home as it took thirty minutes in the car alone - that was when her Mum was driving fast - and the public transport was a big no-no around here. So Lindsay sighed heavily, deciding that she would call her Mum in about an hour to see where she was.

WAITRESS: What can I get you Sugar?

Lindsay shuddered at the pet name, a pet name she hadn't heard since she was eight when Eddie was still alive. She stared blankly at the waitress' smiling face, before realising she had actually been asked a question.

LINDSAY: Oh, erm…a hot chocolate please. And some pancakes?

WAITRESS: Single or double portion?

Lindsay didn't even need to think about her answer:

LINDSAY: Double. Please. Oh and some extra syrup on the side?

The smile on the waitress' face twitched slightly and she nodded, walking off and putting through the order before coming back with the cheque. Lindsay reached out to take it but before she could get the chance, a strange arm from behind her beat her to the piece of paper and she heard a man's voice mumble "I'll get this".

Lindsay turned to see the owner of the arm as he handed the waitress some money. It was someone from her Mum's work. She had seen him walking past the lab every so often, staring at her as he did so with his big brown eyes. He took a seat on the bar stool next to her, looking at her with the most adorable cheeky grin Lindsay had ever seen in her life. He reached out a hand in introduction:

GREG: Hey, it's Greg by the way.

LINDSAY: Greg…

She took his large rough hand in hers, small and soft, and shook it with a smile. She loved his confidence and was relieved to see that it couldn't be mistaken for cockiness…not yet anyway.

LINDSAY: I'm Lindsay.

He echoed her name with a smile and as their hands parted the waitress placed a large mug of hot chocolate onto the bar in front of them. Greg took the mug and motioned to a little booth by the window of the café that already had an opened newspaper, an empty plate and a mug on the table. Lindsay happily followed him to the booth, hardly able to believe how unlucky she was to find such a cute guy that she _really_ liked, only to know that he worked for her Mum. She could tell that things weren't going to end happily here. They both sat down opposite each other, Greg racing to fold away his newspaper and move his empty plate to the side so he could take in the beautiful young woman that sat before him.

GREG: So…I saw you in the lab today, are you training or working or…

His sentence silenced as he waited for Lindsay to interject. He hoped beyond all hope that she was going to say she would be working at the same place as him. From the moment he had seen her he'd been so attracted to her that he'd almost dropped the paperwork he'd been carrying to Nick's office. There was something about those bright blue eyes, that long strawberry blonde hair, those beautiful full lips that parted sideways every so often to reveal a stunning set of straight white teeth and the way she cocked her head to the side when she was speaking that made Greg smile. He'd never known love at first sight until now and he lapped up every single word that came from her perfect mouth:

LINDSAY: I was just doing some work experience. But I remember seeing you too. You…didn't you walk into someone?

Greg blushed and looked down at his coffee mug with a goofy grin, embarrassed that she had noticed. His curiosity about her had consumed most of his thoughts throughout his shift, so much so that during his third lap of the lab in thirty minutes, he had been so busy staring at her that he hadn't been looking where he was going and had walked into Catherine who, to his dismay, had been carrying a mug of coffee to her office.

_CATHERINE: Greg! Watch where you're going yeah?_

_Greg stared, shocked that he'd just made his boss spill coffee down her front._

_GREG: God, Catherine I'm so sorry. I was just…I just wasn't concentrating!_

_He watched as Catherine stormed off to the locker room to get a change of clothes, then turned to his mysterious blonde who was giggling and shaking her head at him in amusement, alongside Wendy who gave him a thumbs up._

That had been the only moment during the whole shift when he had been relieved that there was glass separating the two of them.

GREG: Oh…yeah…I'd forgotten about that.

Lindsay had known full well it had been her mum he had walked in to. She had been impressed that Catherine hadn't screamed at Greg after the coffee incident. But then again, Lindsay had been impressed by her Mum's work ethic all round. When Catherine had told her daughter she'd been promoted to supervisor, Lindsay had envisioned her Mum to be a bitch-boss-from-hell. But actually, Lindsay had noticed that Catherine took a firm yet laid back approach towards her team and the cases they had to undertake. And that her team had a lot of admiration for her, possibly for her calm approach. From the moment Lindsay had stepped into the building she could see why her Mum was okay with pulling so much overtime. Her team was essentially like one big family. A family that Lindsay knew her mother never really got at home. They all supported each other, were generally on the same wavelength and there was this sense of security that each member gave the other. Well that's the vibe she's got from the shift she had just attended. But for all Lindsay knew, her Mum could've been behaving that way because she knew she was around.

GREG: Catherine's cool though. The best boss you could ask for really.

Lindsay took a sip of her hot chocolate and leaned towards him, curious to know what her mother was like from another person.

GREG: Generally calm, professional, but if you ever need to talk to her about something she's a good listener. You can be sure she'd never tell anybody unless you wanted her to.

A small smile appeared on Lindsay's face as she imagined Greg sitting in her Mum's office confiding in something with her. His answer had been the answer she had hoped for. Her Mum _was_ cool, especially for the age she was. And she _was_ a great listener…when Lindsay could be sure that whatever she told her Mum wouldn't result in a shouting contest. Her thoughts were interrupted as a plate full of pancakes were placed in front of her, escorted by a big bottle of syrup. Greg raised his eyebrows as the face of the beautiful young blonde before him lit up and she eagerly picked up the bottle of syrup, layering its contents all over the pancakes.

GREG: Hungry much?

Lindsay didn't stop to answer and put a huge mouthful of syrup-laden pancake into her mouth, rolling her eyes in relief as she did so. This was answer enough for Greg and he let out a little laugh before taking a sip of his coffee.

LINDSAY: Ugh…this is sooooo gooood!

She continued to pile fork after fork as they both sat in silence, Lindsay over the moon that she was finally eating, Greg content with watching her happy face and knowing that he was sitting with the most beautiful woman in the whole café. Not that it would be seen as too much of a compliment to Lindsay, as the few handful of women in the building were all well over sixty.  
His attention was briefly interrupted as two recognisable figures stepped into the café, unusually nervy. He watched as Nick whispered something into Catherine's ear then walk over to the bar to wait for the waitress, while Catherine stood with her arms folded almost nervously, looking around for an empty booth, before spotting one on the other side of the room and proceeding to walk over to it. Greg shrugged off any suspicion, knowing full well that it wasn't unusual for his two colleagues to go for morning coffee together. As a matter of fact, it was more unusual to find the two of them apart than together. But there was a look on his face that made Lindsay stop shovelling food into her mouth for a minute and turn to look at where his eyes were focused.  
Her heart skipped a beat as she saw Nick leaning against the counter, talking to the waitress who was smiling excitably. In an instant Lindsay knew that if Nick was in the café then her Mum wouldn't be too far behind and she began scanning the room. Her eyes clasped on the familiar figure of her Mum in a booth on the other side of the room and her heart fell as she saw the look of disappointment spread over Mum's face as Catherine watched Nick talking to the waitress. It took one look at her mother's reaction for Lindsay to feel an unusual sensation in her body. A sensation she rarely had. A feeling of sudden _hatred_ towards the man she knew to be her father. She looked at him and her blood began to boil as he smiled _flirtatiously_ at the waitress, before carrying two mugs of coffee over to her mother in the booth, placing one in front of her, then taking a seat opposite.

GREG: I'm gonna get another coffee. Do you want another hot chocolate?

Lindsay jumped at the sound of his voice and quickly turned to her empty mug. She hadn't even realised she'd drank it all. She looked up into Greg's concerned face and nodded gratefully. He flashed a smile before getting up to order two more drinks. Lindsay took another mouthful of pancake before resuming her concentration on her parents, who were now sat at the booth, her father looking intently at her mother, who did nothing more than stare down at her mug. Lindsay watched as he took her hand that was holding a sugar shaker and said something to her. Lindsay's initial anger towards her dad suddenly seeped away as she saw a big smile spread over her mum's face. A smile that Lindsay had never seen before. A smile that she had never seen even when her Mum had been married to Eddie. A smile that she couldn't quite put her finger on describing…

GREG: Here we go. One hot chocolate for you. And a coffee for me.

Lindsay stopped analysing her parent's behaviour and turned back to her company as Greg sat down and looked at her with a sleepy grin on his face. She ate the last remnants of her pancakes before pushing the empty plate to the side and taking a sip of her hot chocolate. Her bright blue eyes locked with his deep dark brown eyes and the two of them sat motionless, speechless, until they were interrupted by the waitress who was carrying two large breakfasts in one hand.

WAITRESS: Would it be alright if I took the syrup?

Lindsay regretfully moved her eyes from Greg's gaze and nodded as she reached over, picked up the big bottle of syrup then handed it back to the waitress. Both she and Greg watched as the waitress walked to the other side of the café and placed the plates down in front of Nick and Catherine. A small smile crept onto Lindsay's face as she saw the look of surprise plastered all over her mother as her Dad looked on with a smile.

GREG: Are you okay?

Lindsay turned quickly to see Greg staring at her curiously. Her heart rate began to increase as she realised he had spotted her staring at the couple across the room from them one too many times. She tried desperately hard to think of something clever to say, something that wasn't a lie, but at the same time wasn't the truth. If he knew the truth. If he knew that Catherine was her mother, then Lindsay felt sure he would run as far away from her as possible. And right now, she _really_ didn't want that.

LINDSAY: I'm fine. I'm just…so surprised, you know…

Greg furrowed his eyebrows, trying to cotton on to what she was talking about. He really _didn't_ know. But he had a huge yearning to find out.

LINDSAY: …your boss looked so tired and moody when you bumped into her earlier.

Greg smiled, excited to be involved in conversation again:

GREG: Well wouldn't you be if you'd just had coffee spilled down your front at 1am?

Lindsay giggled at his quirky response, relieved that he seemed to have a good sense of humour. He was slowly turning out to be her perfect man.

LINDSAY: I just never expected her to be like this after such a long shift.

Both Greg and Lindsay turned to look over at the two recognisable figures on the opposite side of the room. Nick had started to eat but said something that made Catherine laugh out loud. Lindsay had never seen her Mum laugh like that before. Maybe Nick was something special. He was the guy that could make her Mum smile a smile she never gave anyone else. He was the guy that could make her Mum laugh a hearty laugh even though she had been up for over nineteen hours. He was the guy that her Mum liked. That she may even love. And Lindsay could tell this from the way Catherine stole fleeting looks at Nick with an almost _dreamy_ smile on her face, even when he wasn't looking and even if he was. Lindsay turned back to her hot chocolate and took a big gulp of it as Greg continued to look over at Nick and Catherine whilst speaking in a nonchalant voice:

GREG: Yeah well, she's with Nick. That's what she's like when she's with him. Socially I mean.

He shrugged and turned back to his coffee as Lindsay furrowed her brow, wanting to know more.

LINDSAY: How do you mean? You mean they're not like this at work?

Greg took another gulp of his coffee and fiddled with his teaspoon, using it to point at Nick and Catherine every so often as he tried to explain.

GREG: We're all a team at work but those two are like the leaders of the gang. They know each other inside out.

Lindsay couldn't help but grimace at his last few words, knowing all too well how much her Mum and Nick knew each other, after all she was proof - the result of them 'getting to know each other'- but to her relief Greg continued:

GREG: I envy them in a way. I'd love to be able to have a conversation with someone just by looking at them.

LINDSAY: You mean they can read each other's minds?

Greg simply nodded and took another sip of coffee:

GREG: That's what happens when you know and work with someone for as long as those two have. What you see now is how they're like socially. As close as two people could be…without…you know, being romantically involved with each other and stuff...

Lindsay smiled slightly, grateful for Greg's little insight into the actions of her parents and just as relieved that he hadn't suspected that they had _ever _been together. Lindsay had a feeling that if anybody at her Mum's work knew about her true paternity, her parents could get into some serious trouble. She took another look over the other side of the room, worried slightly to see her parents clearly caught in deep conversation while glancing every so often at a piece of paper that Lindsay _knew_ were the results of the DNA test she had taken earlier. She hated seeing the look of hurt that was plastered across Nick's face, and much worse the nervous look on her Mum's.

GREG: So…are you taken? Single?

Lindsay turned back to Greg who had a hopeful look on his face and she couldn't help but smile. There was something about those puppy-dog eyes that she couldn't resist. He was so much more cuter than any other guy she had ever had coffee or dinner with before.

LINDSAY: Single.

Greg nodded with a smile as a small look of victory flashed over his face:

GREG: Live at home?

LINDSAY: Yep…

Lindsay smiled wider as she knew she was keeping any further details a secret. She was sure that a conversation about her Mum would eventually crop up but she would've rather he found out himself then by her telling him straight. She watched as he rolled his hand, encouraging her to go into more detail.

LINDSAY: …with my Mum. She works nights in a job that she's been doing since before I was born. Hence why I was okay to do this night shift. It's nice to be on the same time as her.

Greg nodded in an "of course" type of way before thinking of any other questions he could possibly ask this woman who he craved so much information from:

GREG: And your Dad…?

Lindsay spoke with conviction, happy to reveal one important fact:

LINDSAY: Is alive.

A tiny bit more detail couldn't hurt.

LINDSAY: He works nights too. Ironically _with_ my Mum. But he doesn't live with us.

GREG: Oh…divorce?

LINDSAY: Nope - lucky me, I was the result of their one night stand twenty something years ago…

Greg smiled at her sarcasm then let out a long whistle, intrigued by this beautiful blonde's bizarre background.

GREG: Sounds complicated.

LINDSAY: More than you could ever know…

She trailed off and took another gulp of hot chocolate before looking back over at her Mum and Nick. From the looks of things they were now in a heated discussion. The look of frustration on her Dad's face and the sad look on her Mum's made Lindsay sure that they were talking about her, or Eddie, or something to do with her Mum's unknown deception. Today had been the first time Lindsay had _ever _seen Nick and Catherine together full stop, and she already hated the sight of the two of them looking so disappointed and upset. So she turned back to her almost empty mug of hot chocolate and looked up to see Greg finishing the remnants of his coffee, then look over at her with a grin.

GREG: Well I'm gonna go home to bed…fancy joining me?

Lindsay couldn't help rolling her eyes with a bemused smile on her face. It had all been going so well until now.

LINDSAY: Did you _seriously_ just ask me what I thought you just asked me??

Greg put his head in his hands and groaned:

GREG: Yes. Ugh, I'm sorry!

LINDSAY: Has that line _ever_ worked?!

Greg looked up with a cheeky grin but before he could say anything Lindsay quickly put a hand up to his face:

LINDSAY: Actually…don't answer that.

She placed her fingers around the handle of her mug and drank the final drop of chocolate before sighing with a small smile on her face as she looked into the deeply apologetic eyes of Greg.

LINDSAY: Besides, I'm more of a dinner-then-movie girl.

Greg's hopes raised as he realised he hadn't completely messed things up with this woman:

GREG: Well we can catch some dinner and a movie if you want?

Lindsay's heart sank. She had hoped that turning him down first time around would've put him off pursuing her any further. After all it was such a big risk.

LINDSAY: Greg…I don't think that's a good idea.

GREG: Wha…but I thought we were having a good time...

LINDSAY: We are…

GREG: Is it because of the bed thing? Cos I'm really sor---

LINDSAY: No, it's not that…

The conversation stopped for a moment and Lindsay sighed before taking another look over at her mother, then back to Greg. She prayed that he wouldn't freak out. That he wouldn't do a runner. Even if he did, there were plenty more fish in the sea. But all she wanted right now was one particular fish. Him.

LINDSAY: I need to tell you something…and I totally understand if you choose never to see me ever again but---

Greg watched as the bubbly blonde he had been in the presence of for the past thirty minutes crumbled slightly before his very eyes as she told him what he hadn't expected to hear. He followed her gaze over to Nick and Catherine who were now holding hands, speaking somewhat affectionately. Lindsay watched his reaction and took a deep breath as Greg turned back to face her, exhaling heavily with surprise. She could feel her eyes beginning to well up as she started to brace herself for his expectant desertion. But to her surprise he looked at her with that cute little smile she had loved from the moment she had first seen him in the lab:

GREG: I'll pick you up tonight around six?

Her heart began to race with relief and excitement as he wrote his cell number down on a fresh napkin and slid it across the table towards her.

GREG: Just let me know where.

Lindsay couldn't help the huge smile that was plastered on her face. There _was_ hope.

LINDSAY: You're sure you don't mind?

Greg leaned over towards her, keeping his voice soft as his eyes, full of sincerity, bore into hers:

GREG: I really like you Lindsay. This is a little hurdle. We're just gonna have to jump over it together.

And Lindsay felt a huge wave of happiness wash over her as he gave her a little wink and began to put his jacket on.

GREG: You sure you don't need a lift home?

Lindsay shook her head:

LINDSAY: No, my Mum'll take me when she's done.

Greg stood up, grabbed his newspaper then leaned towards Lindsay and gave her a peck on the cheek, inhaling her beautifully natural scent of vanilla, before pushing aside her strawberry blonde hair and whispering into her ear:

GREG: See you later.

The feel of his breath against her skin sent an electric shock through her body and Lindsay couldn't help but smile a goofy smile as she watched him leave the café. Her eyes moved from the door back over to her parents who now seemed to have settled their differences, despite the look of sadness and longing in each other's faces as they stared at each other. Lindsay looked up at the clock. It had just turned nine thirty. She was tired and had less than nine hours before she would be meeting Greg. Lindsay knew the only way she was going to get home was through her Mum.

Her eyes darted over to the place where Greg had once been seated and, as she stood up and began walking across the room to her parents, she couldn't help the strange sensation she had felt not so long ago, begin to consume her again. The sensation that had got her into a lot of trouble before. She had the feeling she might be in love.

* * *

**Ok I hadnt originally planned for Greg to step into the picture but now he has it should make things a liiiiittle bit more interesting at work!  
Not to mention that he's a typical man, unable to read between the lines of 'Nick and Catherine holding hands and speaking somewhat affectionately" *rolls eyes* men :)**

**Well hope you enjoyed this chapter - I really enjoyed writing it! I'll update asap :) comments and feedback and any suggestions for future chapters are warmly welcome!  
Big hugs, Sophie xxx**


	5. The Napkin Number

LINDSAY: Hey.

Catherine jumped out of her skin at the feel of a hand on her shoulder and quickly, instinctively pulled her hand away from Nick's, before looking up to see her daughter stood directly beside her with a sleepy smile on her face. Catherine smiled in surprise and relief that it hadn't been anyone from work.

CATHERINE: Oh, hey Lindsay, we were just…erm…

LINDSAY: …having breakfast?

A small smile grew on her face as she watched her Mum act like a teenager who had just been caught with someone she shouldn't have been with. Catherine looked from her daughter, to her empty plate, to Nick - who shuffled uncomfortably in his seat. She knew there was no shame in having a spot of breakfast with him. After all they did it quite a lot. Okay so they usually had a couple of other members of the team with them but there was no harm in the two of them having breakfast _alone_. Though Catherine had to admit they didn't usually hold hands nor talk about Lindsay. She looked over at her daughter, who was watching Nick take one last gulp of his coffee in an obvious way, with that same old look of curiosity on her face. Catherine noticed Lindsay was delicately feeding a folded napkin between her fingers as she stood deep in thought about something. She watched as her daughter yawned and turned to her with a sleepy look:

LINDSAY: So, I was wondering if you were ready to go home yet? I'm pretty wiped out and---

CATHERINE: ---What's that in your hand?

Lindsay felt the heat rise into her cheeks as she watched her Mum's sharp blue eyes hone in on the piece of secret that she suddenly clenched tightly.

LINDSAY: What this? This is…erm…just a napkin…

Nick smiled as he watched the young blonde stood by the table wave the napkin quickly up in the air, clearly nervous that her mother was questioning her about something so obvious. He looked over at Catherine, who had a bemused look on her face.

NICK: Any chance there's a number on that napkin Linds?

Catherine watched in shock as her daughter, lost for words, stared down at the napkin in her hands not wanting to hold eye contact with either parent.

CATHERINE: Kudos to you Lindsay, I thought it was impossible for _anyone_ to get a number on a Sunday…especially at this time in the morning!

She looked over at Nick who had risen his eyebrows with a grin and winked at her. She slide across her seat slightly and patted the space nearest to Lindsay, inviting her to sit down. Lindsay grudgingly obliged, embarrassed that her Dad, who barely knew her, had immediately known what had happened. She looked over at her Mum who had an excitable grin on her face and rolled her eyes, hoping to interject the inevitable .

LINDSAY: Oh relax, he just bought me coffee.

CATHERINE: But you don't like coffee…

Lindsay sighed and fiddled with the napkin, defeated:

LINDSAY: _Fine_…he bought me a hot chocolate…and pancakes…

Nick felt uncomfortable as it was this tiny piece of information that, as her father, he felt he should know about Lindsay. But thanks to the twenty years without any real insight into his daughter's world, he had no idea she disliked coffee. He looked from Catherine, who had a knowledgeable smile on her face, over to their young woman of a daughter, who looked from the napkin over to him with her bright blue eyes, almost embarrassed that a secret of hers had been revealed. In fact she _was_ embarrassed. Lindsay had hoped to appear more mature in front of Nick, in the hope that he may not consider her as childish. That she wouldn't need looking after. That she was more of an adult. That he wouldn't need to worry about her or her Mum's safety outside of work because she was mature enough to look after the two of them. She didn't want him to feel pressured into taking any sudden responsibilities as her father. After all, she and Catherine had survived alright on their own for the past twelve years that Eddie had been dead. She was older now. She didn't need so much looking after. She barely needed her Mum anymore. She could make her own decisions. And her Mum didn't really need him either… Lindsay looked over at Catherine who wasn't looking at her anymore. Instead she was looking over at Nick with a content smile on her face. A smile that, Lindsay presumed, was there because her Mum was relieved - possibly even excited - that Nick was still happy to be around them and willing to stay. It was yet another smile that Lindsay had never seen before, and she suddenly began to feel very awkward, as though she was almost _intruding_ on something private between the two of them.

She thought back to what Greg had said to her earlier: "_I envy them in a way.__I'd love to be able to have a conversation with someone just by looking at them."_

Lindsay looked from her Mum, over to Nick who mirrored her Mum's content smile and she suddenly realised that they were doing what Greg had said. They both had a look as though they knew _exactly_ what the other was thinking. Lindsay couldn't help but wonder if she would've picked up on this if Greg hadn't pointed it out to her earlier. Greg. Lindsay began to zone out with a dreamy smile as she thought about those deep dark brown eyes and that gorgeous grin that she couldn't help getting lost in.

NICK: I thought food was a way to a man's heart?

Lindsay jumped at the sound of his voice. He'd been so quiet over the past couple of minutes since she had joined them she hadn't expected him to speak.

CATHERINE: Yeah but pancakes are a way to a Willow's heart.

Lindsay rolled her eyes as she watched her Mum flash Nick a cheeky grin which he responded to with a wink. They were like two geeky teenagers who had no guts to ask the other out. Lindsay could see it a mile off and she couldn't exactly understand _how_ nothing had happened between the two of them since she had been conceived. Yes, her Mum had explained about the security of marriage during the early years of her childhood. But for over twelve years now her Mum had been, to Lindsay's knowledge, free and single. Married to her work so to speak. And _at_ her work, there just so happened to be Nick. Who Lindsay presumed must also be married to his job. So with so much flirtation that (according to Greg) was _"how they're like socially"_ and with such a close bond that was enough to "_read each other's minds", _Lindsay couldn't understandhow neither her Mum nor her Dad had opened their eyes and realised that they pretty much belonged with each other.

CATHERINE: So this guy, Lindsay…what's he like?

Lindsay looked over at her Mum's enquiring face, knowing all too well that there was going to be no subtlety in her interrogation. It was part of her Mum's job as a CSI to interrogate people. She knew what sort of body language to look out for. Lindsay looked over at Nick and suddenly wished that he was the one asking the questions. At the moment he wore a relaxed expression. Lindsay could tell by the way he sat forward that he was dying to be involved in the questioning but a lack of knowledge about her, she presumed, meant he didn't know what to ask. His eyes were a soft, warm brown unlike her Mum's piercing blue eyes. She knew Catherine didn't mean to look so intense. It was just her Mum's over-protective side.

The problem was, Lindsay knew that her parents worked with Greg. If she described him then she would need to be vague so as not to arouse suspicion, yet with enough detail to keep them content for the moment.

LINDSAY: He's…tall, dark and handsome…lovely smile…quite the gentleman…but I've still got to call him yet…

To Lindsay's relief, both Nick and Catherine slowly sat back in their seats, satisfied enough with their daughter's answer. She knew full well she wouldn't need to say too much more than that for now and she let out a big yawn. Catherine looked over at her daughter's heavy eyelids, reached out and affectionately stroked a little bit of Lindsay's strawberry blonde locks, knowing full well it had been a long nineteen hours for her.

CATHERINE: Home time?

She watched as Lindsay nodded and slid off the seat onto her feet.

LINDSAY: I'm just quickly going to go to the bathroom.

Catherine nodded with a smile as she watched her daughter wander away from the table. She turned back to Nick, who was still watching curiously at Lindsay as she walked off, and Catherine slid across the seat again to resume her position opposite him. Nick locked eyes with Catherine and suddenly felt nervous to be alone with her again. He sat up, wanting to seem awake and ready for anything. The small content smile had reappeared on her face and she raised her eyebrows in expectation:

CATHERINE: Well…she seems to be okay…

NICK: …yeah…she does…

They both nodded with big smiles on their faces in silence. Catherine reluctantly began to fish the car keys out of her purse, not entirely sure what to say. Her heart was screaming at her to invite him back to the house. To show him around. To let him look through the photo albums that she (with _huge_ help from her mum) had compiled over the years of their daughter. From the day she had been born right up until the tiny photo opportunity she and Lindsay had taken in a coffee shop a couple of weeks earlier. But her mind was strong and she overpowered her inner feelings with a huge sigh as she looked at her keys, letting them fumble around her fingertips. She couldn't afford to risk their jobs by getting anymore involved with Nick then she already was. Besides, Nick was probably tired and would want to go to bed anyway. And as much as Catherine wanted him to go to bed with her, it could never happen. Well not again anyway. She looked from her keys up to his dark brown eyes that bore into hers and her heart rate started to increase. He felt the same. She could tell he felt the same. That he _wanted_ the same. But before either of them could say anything, Lindsay slowly approached them again with a sleepy smile on her face.

LINDSAY: Well…I can safely say that's the worst bathroom I've been in, _ever_!

Catherine knew instinctively that now was as good a time as any to get up and go. If she stayed much longer, if she _stared_ at him much longer then she could never be held responsible for her actions following that. Despite the enthusiastic laugh that Lindsay's comment duly deserved, Nick's heart fell as he watched Catherine get up from the booth and throw her bag over her shoulder with a small sad look on her face. He didn't want them to leave. He wanted them to stay here with him. Or at the least he wanted to go with them. The time they had spent in this booth had almost been like their first meeting and Nick craved to know more about his new daughter. But as he looked into the apologetic eyes of Catherine, he knew that he would find things out in time. With a deep breath Catherine looked over at their daughter and smiled, holding the keys out to the young blonde.

CATHERINE: Fancy driving?

Nick smiled as he watched Lindsay's tired face light up in a flash. Catherine had revealed another drop of information to him very subtly, possibly without even knowing it. Lindsay could drive - but he could tell it would only be a rare moment in the week that she was allowed to do so. He watched Lindsay gratefully nab the keys off her Mum and raise her eyebrows for reassurance:

LINDSAY: Seriously?

CATHERINE: Seriously.

A big smile wiped over Lindsay's face as a little excitable squeal came from her lips and Catherine giggled slightly as Lindsay reached out and gave her Mum a big hug.

CATHERINE: Go start her up and I'll be over in a mo.

Lindsay nodded then turned to Nick, not entirely sure how to leave him. Nick could sense the tension and stood up, hoping that this was as good a goodbye motion as any, and to his surprise Lindsay threw her arms round his neck and gave him a quick hug, before stepping back with a satisfied grin.

LINDSAY: I'll…erm…give you a call?

Nick nodded and smiled as he motioned to the napkin that she still had in her hand:

NICK: Make sure you give him a call first though, yeah?

Lindsay's smile grew as Nick gave her a wink. She had this strange sensation that they had a little connection. She hadn't known him for long, but already he seemed to know how to treat her like a father _should_ treat his daughter - he somehow understood the priorities of a twenty year old. She desperately wanted to find out more about this man, mostly out of curiosity because he seemed to make her mum _so_ happy, but she also knew she shouldn't be too eager. He needed space and time to get adjusted to this new situation, as did she. So Lindsay happily nodded, taking note of his request, that she would call Greg before him.

LINDSAY: Will do. See you later.

She began to walk backwards wanting to take one last memory of her Mum and Nick - her biological father - standing together, watching her go with smiles on their faces. She had never seen her Mum look so content.

LINDSAY: See you in a mo, Mum.

CATHERINE: Yeah I wont be long.

Catherine let out a deep breath as she watched the familiar strawberry blonde hair of her daughter bobble out of the door and she turned to face Nick, nervous about the prospect of an awkward goodbye, even though it was only for a day and a half. Nick was equally nervous as he moved his hands up to his hips, then into the pockets of his jeans, knowing full well he couldn't wrap them around Catherine's waist like he knew he wanted to.

CATHERINE: So…

NICK: Yeah…

Both smiled nervously, their hearts racing. Nick was desperate to fill the gap between them and give her a hug. An innocent hug. After all what was so romantic about a hug? They'd been through quite a lot in the past couple of hours. _Technically_ it was just a hug between two friends. But Nick didn't feel it was his place to make any form of movement - platonic or otherwise. Right now, he felt as though Catherine had to be in control. Knowing their luck if they did hug here someone from work was likely to walk in and make their own judgement. Catherine was the one who had more to lose if rumours about them were spread around the office. Nick decided that no contact was better than…All of a sudden he had to catch his breath as he felt Catherine's arms swoop around his neck and hold him tightly, almost as though she never wanted to let him go. Taking her actions as an invitation, Nick forgot about his initial fears and wrapped his arms instinctively around her waist, _never_ want to let her go. He inhaled the sweet fruity scent of her strawberry blonde hair and could feel her heart beating against his chest. He felt her lips draw close to his ear and whisper affectionately:

CATHERINE: Thank you for staying Nicky.

The words trickled into his brain, sending an electric shock down his body that caused a smile to appear on his face. They'd hugged many a time before in the twenty-odd years they'd known each other. But hugs like these between the two of them only happened once in a blue moon. Each time they had happened Nick would always hope that Catherine would turn to him and kiss him passionately as he passionately kissed her back. But each time she would merely pull away, give him an affectionate grin, leave her hand lingering on his arm ten seconds longer than anyone who was "_just a friend"_ really should, before walking off. This was usually because they were at work and it was enough of a risk to hug let alone do anything else. But when you live in such a lonely world where your work colleagues know you the best and are your closest friends…well Nick was always grateful for one of Catherine's hugs. But this one was different. Before now, when they had intimately hugged she had never spoken in his ear. She had never sighed into his neck. She had never leant her body fully against him. As she started to peel her hands away from his back, Nick was prepared for the 'step back-linger-then walk', but to his surprise she only brought her head back to look straight into his eyes, leaving the palms of her hands on the back of his neck. Nick could feel his breath quicken as he noted the tiny space that was left between their faces. He saw a small smile appear on her face and he knew that a certain part of him was throbbing against her. If it wasn't for all these people around them they probably would've torn each other's clothes off by now. He could feel her breath against his face. He had such an urge to kiss her lips. They were right there in front of him, the bottom lip being bitten slightly as though she was trying to hold back any temptation…

Suddenly the sound of the bell over the door alerted them to the fact that they were in public and they pulled apart quickly, Nick rushing to sit down in an attempt to hide his excitement. They both looked over at the door, relieved that they had parted when they had as they saw one of their colleagues and friend's, Detective Jim Brass, walk over to them.

JIM: You still up?

Catherine tried to stifle a giggle as she looked over at Nick's shocked and flushed face:

NICK: Ex…excuse me?

JIM: Well I thought you two clocked off an hour ago.

Catherine looked over at the clock, remembering that she _did_ have her daughter to tend to:

CATHERINE: We did. We thought we'd grab breakfast after though. We don't do it very often…

Jim nodded, completely oblivious to the eye contact and small smiles his two colleagues kept sharing with each other.

JIM: Well of course, busy shifts…hey I walked past Lindsay on my way over here. Heard down the grapevine she did a good job today…_and _that you had a bit of a dispute towards the end…

Catherine and Nick looked at each other, knowing full well what the dispute had been about. They both nodded and Catherine shuffled her feet awkwardly as Jim spoke directly at her:

JIM: I wouldn't worry about it. Trust me, it's her age! I must say Catherine, you've done a good job bringing her up. Single parent and all that. Cant be easy. I had trouble enough bringing my girls up and the Mrs looked after them more then I did! Coffee?

Catherine smiled nervously as Jim offered to buy them another round of drinks which she quickly turned down but Nick dutifully took up. She watched Jim walk up to the bar then quickly turned to Nick, who nodded his head slowly with a smile.

CATHERINE: What?

NICK: Well Brass is right. You _have_ done a good job bringing Lindsay up on your own…

Catherine held her hand up to end his sentence. She didn't want to be congratulated. Especially not by Nick. She knew full well that if he had known sooner about Lindsay he would've definitely made his presence as her father known. He would've had an input in Lindsay's childhood years. In Lindsay's teenage years. He would've been able to have used that protective, paternal side that Catherine had always known was there. She didn't want congratulating because she was ashamed and embarrassed that he couldn't have been there because of her. Because she had been so blinkered to think that Eddie was the only possibility.

JIM: There we go Nicky-boy.

Jim leaned past Catherine and handed Nick a fresh mug of coffee before sitting down opposite him.

CATHERINE: Right, well I'll see you boys tomorrow.

JIM: Right-o, have a good day off.

Jim started concentrating on pouring sugar into his coffee long enough for Catherine and Nick to give each other a lingering look and a smile.

NICK: See you later Cath.

CATHERINE: See you later Nicky… Jim.

She nodded toward Jim as he looked up at her, expecting a goodbye too, before she left the building and walked back to work, where she knew her car was parked and her daughter would be waiting.

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**Another late-night writing session and another reasonably hefty chapter :)  
****I'm not entirely sure whether to follow it on to later that day or on to the next day when Nick and Catherine are back at work together or to set it a few days/weeks/months later…? Any suggestions or preferences?  
****Hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
Sorry about the little wait for an update - comments and feedback really appreciated as it always gives me incentive to write more :)  
Much Love, Sophie xxx**


	6. The Rose

**Lil note: a BIG THANKS to you for still reading this story :) hope you're still enjoying it and this chapter lives up to any expectations you may have had whilst waiting for an update. Enjoy! Best wishes, Sophie xx**

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The ding of the lift surprised Catherine out of her dozy state and as the doors opened she took a deep breath to brace herself for the long shift ahead. A wave of relief brushed over her body as she noticed the floor was quiet. Not too many people had started their shift yet and Catherine brought a hand up to her mouth as she attempted to stifle a yawn. She had had an unsettled day off - one that she would normally spend asleep but she had in fact spent the day thinking too much.

She stepped out of the lift and stopped, looking ahead at the door of her office that waited at the end of the long corridor. Waiting for her to enter through it to all manner of mess that she knew she had left there the previous morning. The morning Lindsay had made that life-changing discovery.

Catherine took a deep breath and slowly began walking down the corridor, past one room after another, some occupied, some not. She looked down at her watch. Four forty-five. Most of the night shift team would be in just before six. Which gave her about an hour to compose herself and get in the right frame of mind for work before---

CATHERINE: Oh…

---Nick got in.

Catherine felt her body crash ungracefully against a familiar tall figure. She hadn't noticed her colleague walking out of the break room and watched in horror at Nick, who grimaced in pain as he felt the scolding coffee he had been carrying spill over the front of his new black shirt.

CATHERINE: Nick! Oh god I'm sorry, I hadn't expected anyone to be here yet!

Nick looked up at his strawberry blonde colleague's mortified face and smiled:

NICK: It's okay…I'll just…

He motioned towards the room he had just left and re-entered it, heading straight for the sink and placing the practically empty mug beside it. Catherine watched as Nick washed his hands then remained with his back to her as he slowly dried them. She could tell he was nervous, and she didn't blame him, she was too. This was the first time the two of them had seen each other since the morning before, in the café. Catherine could feel her heart rate increase as she recalled their final moments together that morning. She felt a sudden urge to run over and give him another hug. Just to feel his strong arms around her one more time. But she held on to her impulses, knowing full well that now was not the time and here was _definitely_ not the place. She had so much to say. So much to tell him. So much to ask him. But the way he stood, with his back to her, clearly with as little confidence to chat as she did, made any words that had come to Catherine's mouth completely disappear.

Nick couldn't bring himself to turn around and even though he couldn't see her, he knew full well that she hadn't left him. That she was still there. Watching for any slight movement. But he stayed stationary. Afraid that anything he may say or do might jeopardise their long shift together that he knew lay ahead. He didn't want to be on a case with anyone else but Catherine for now. He wanted to spend the whole night with her. To be on the same case as her. Just so he could prove to her that everything would be alright. That all events in their personal lives could be pushed aside at work. Though right now that wasn't entirely true. He rarely started work this early - and even then, other than staring at a few case files, he had done nothing but think about Catherine and Lindsay since he'd got in the building. Much like he had thought about nothing but them from the moment Catherine had walked out of the café the morning before. Which was why he had had less than four hours sleep over the past thirty-two hours. Which was why he had checked his phone for missed calls and messages more times then he had done his whole life. Which was why he was so tired. Which was why he had made himself the strongest coffee he could. And why he had come to work so early, to be around things that reminded him of her. Things that comforted him. Though an office mug with her name on and her closed office door was nothing compared to her company. He hoped that she hadn't been a dream. That her presence moments ago wasn't something he had made up in his head and if he blinked he would wake up, face down on the desk of his office. With all his might, he brought himself to turn around to see if she had been all in his imagination.

He felt his heart rate increase as he locked eyes with hers, deep and blue. He noticed how tired she looked and presumed she hadn't had much sleep. Though the reason for this, he wasn't entirely sure and he hoped it wasn't because of him. He started to feel nervous as he watched her slowly walk towards him, stopping inches from his body, and reaching past him to flick the kettle on. She paused with her finger on the switch, taking full advantage of the opportunity to be within close proximities of him without giving others a reason to be suspicious. Nick froze, entranced by the smell of her blossom perfume that had wafted towards him as she had leaned over to the kettle. With a longing look on his face, he watched Catherine move away from him and reach up into a cupboard, pulling out two mugs then placing them on the work surface next to him. The space between them was further than before, but she had made sure it was close enough to satisfy her need to hug him, without _actually_ hugging him.

The silence between them was deafening and as the kettle got louder, the noises made from the odd staff members in other rooms of the floor drowned out, leaving the two supervisors to stare at each other longingly without any distractions. To Catherine's relief the kettle boiled and clicked off, leaving her with the task of making up the coffee's. She knew Nick well enough to know that he had three spoonfuls of sugar and a lot of milk in his coffee. As she began to make it, she spoke softly so only he could hear.

CATHERINE: So, how was your day off?

She handed Nick his mug of coffee which he received with a grateful smile.

NICK: Yeah…uneventful…You?

Catherine thought back to the restless day she had had. From the moment she had left the café it was as though she had been on auto-pilot. She could only recall snippets of her day. Driving herself and Lindsay home. Cooking lunch whilst Lindsay slept on the sofa. Sitting with her sleeping daughter whilst flicking through channels on the TV. Watching Lindsay skip upstairs to get ready to go out...  
All Catherine could remember properly was thinking about Nick and every moment that he had been in her life from the second she had met him, to the first time she had _really_ felt something for him, to the moment he had first taken her in his strong arms and made her feel safe, to the moment they had gone out together initially as platonic friends, to the night Lindsay was conceived, to the days following at work, to the moment she had found out she was pregnant, to the moment Lindsay had been born, to Lindsay's first Christmas, first birthday, first steps, first words, first tears, first smiles, first friend, first party, first school, first school play, first award, first bike, first pet, first recital, first exam…_first date_…  
Catherine had been thinking non-stop about all the moments of Lindsay's life that Nick had missed out on and that she was _still_ stopping him from being involved. He _could've_ come round the night before to watch their little girl be driven off by a complete stranger for her first date, but at the café it hadn't occurred to Catherine to offer. All of this had been driving her so mad that she had almost called him on several occasions during the night, just so she could apologise and check if he was okay. Everything had been going around and around in her head until she had finally fallen asleep at about six the next morning.

CATHERINE: Yeah…uneventful…

They both stood facing each other, leaning against the work surface while holding their respective mugs of coffee. Catherine had hoped that things wouldn't have been _this_ awkward, but to her dismay it was just like the morning after the night Lindsay had been conceived. Nothing but small talk and general awkwardness between them. There was no way they could work the same case tonight. Neither of them would be able to talk properly about the case without worrying about what the other was thinking. Worrying if there were any regrets. Worrying if there was any…_worrying_. She couldn't do it. She was desperate for things to be like they had been. Strictly as professionals and very good friends. Nothing awkward.  
She looked sadly at Nick who had a fleeting change in concentration as he burnt his tongue whilst trying to take a sip of his coffee. A small smile appeared on both their faces and Catherine reached out a hand, using her thumb to wipe away some coffee that had landed on Nick's chin. She pulled her hand away and rested it on the work surface directly next to him. Nick slowly raised his sleeve to wipe over his chin that had become numb at her touch, then took the mug and placed it down on the work surface, the side of his thumb accidentally coming into contact with Catherine's little finger. The contact had taken them both by surprise but neither of them pulled their hands away, secretly grateful for a reason to touch for more than a second. They held each other's gaze for what had felt like a lifetime before Catherine raised her mug to her lips, giving Nick the perfect opportunity to open a new conversation that he had been dying to raise since six o'clock the evening before. He took a deep breath and kept his voice low:

NICK: So…how did Lindsay's date go?

Catherine hesitated slightly, unprepared for his question. Though she had secretly wanted to call him from the moment Lindsay had left the house with one major nagging question and desperate for the answer to come from a male perspective. She brought her hand away from the work surface up to join her other hand that clasped to her mug - and in doing so, brought it away from Nick's hand leaving him feeling worried that his question had been too much too soon. She had moved _away_ from him and Nick was now worried he had done precisely what he had never wanted to do - to blow it between the two of them and scupper any chance of working the same case as her that night. He had to catch his breath when he watched Catherine move closer, so there was no more than ten inches between them. She had a slight look of awkwardness on her face and he relaxed a little as she moved her hand to emphasise her words, an action Nick knew was a sign that she was nervous.

CATHERINE: As a guy, would you give a girl a rose on the first date?

Nick raised his eyebrows, surprised by her question. He looked to the open door of the break room in thought, wondering if he would and what would be the best answer. The only rose he had ever given a girl was when he was fourteen and completely besotted with Lucy Greys, a girl who had lived across the road from him all his childhood. He remembered the embarrassment of her scorning, taking the rose from him, ripping it up and walking off whilst giggling evilly with her best friend, Suzie Langford. Since then Nick had never given a rose to any girl. He was afraid of the rejection. It was this that made Nick look back at Catherine with a small smile on his face:

NICK: Only if I _really_ liked her… Why?

Catherine tried to shrug nonchalantly, but Nick knew the reason she had asked and he listened intently as she explained the reason for her question.

_Catherine hastily put her coat on as her daughter watched with a look of horror on her face:_

_LINDSAY: What are you doing…_

_CATHERINE: It's cold outside._

_LINDSAY: So?? It's not like you're coming outside too._

_CATHERINE: But…how am I going to meet your mystery man?_

_Lindsay screwed her face up in despair as Catherine started to put some boots on:_

_LINDSAY: Mum! You're not coming outside!_

_CATHERINE: I'll only walk you to the car, honest!_

_LINDSAY: No! It's embarrassing enough being on a first date without having your mother walk you to the car because its cold and dark!_

_Catherine stood up straight and grabbed her house keys from the hook that hung from the wall beside the front door._

_CATHERINE: Lindsay, we live in a __very__ unsafe city…_

_LINDSAY: I'm only walking to the end of the drive! If you're feeling that 'protective' then watch from out the window with your gun or something…_

_Catherine sighed at her daughter's sarcasm and re-hung the keys, defeated as Lindsay buttoned up her coat and double checked her appearance in the mirror. She couldn't help but think how grown up her daughter was. And now she was dating. Catherine hadn't prepared herself for the idea of Lindsay dating. The idea of someone potentially taking her daughter away from her. The whole concept had sprung upon her so suddenly. She looked at her daughter's pleading face. Lindsay's sharp blue eyes suddenly reminded Catherine of herself and how she had been when she had started dating. Her mother had been strict and unfair…just as she was now being towards her own daughter. Catherine caved and, with a big sigh, rolled her eyes and began unbuttoning her own coat:_

_CATHERINE: Alright, I'll watch from the window._

_A small smile etched in the corner of Catherine's mouth as her daughter paced over to her, placing a quick peck on her cheek, before stepping back with a grateful grin:_

_LINDSAY: Thanks Mum. Love you._

_CATHERINE: Love you too._

_Catherine hung her coat back up on the coat stand as she watched her daughter bound over to the front door with obvious excitement._

_LINDSAY: And don't stay up!_

_Catherine remained silent as she watched her daughter flash her an excitable grin then scuttle out of the house and close the door behind her. Catherine couldn't promise anything. She walked round to the window of the dark living room and looked out to see a male figure wrapped up in a stylish black jacket, with the collar up and a black winter hat, race round to the passenger side of a car and open it for her daughter who had skipped down the drive to meet him, clearly excited when he presented a rose to her before jumping in the passenger seat. Catherine rolled her eyes at the tackiness of her daughter's mystery man's present, and worse how much of a sucker Lindsay was for falling for whatever charms he had. She was so young and naïve when it came to men that Catherine almost wanted to race out there with a gun and demand she come back into the house. But she knew she shouldn't interfere - that Lindsay, unfortunately, had to make her own mistakes. Catherine couldn't help muttering under her breath as the car pulled away from the house:_

_CATHERINE: Stay safe Lindsay._

NICK: And this was why you asked me if I would ever give a girl a rose on the first date?

A small smile of embarrassment made its way onto Catherine's face as she took another sip of coffee. She shrugged and chose her words carefully as she spoke slowly:

CATHERINE: Well I've never got a rose off a guy before so I just…_presumed_ he must be…

NICK: …a sleazebag?

A big grin spread over his face as he raised his eyebrows, waiting for her answer. Catherine wasn't sure why she was so surprised that he'd rumbled her. She couldn't believe how crazy she had been to over-think on the whole 'rose' thing. It just showed how protective she was when Lindsay was concerned. In her eyes no one was good enough for her little girl. But she had gone as far to judge the guy despite having only seen him briefly, from a distance, for less than thirty seconds.

NICK: Something tells me you're a little over-protective…

Catherine opened her mouth, taking offence of his comment but she couldn't help the smile that edged its way into the corner of her mouth. She playfully swiped his arm with the back of her hand then brought it round to point her index finger at his chest accusingly with a big grin on her face:

CATHERINE: Oh so you're telling me that _you_ wouldn't have thought the same?

Nick raised a hand in defence as his smile grew wider, enjoying being in the presence of a playful Catherine while she was still there. He gently took her hand and very slightly pulled it away from his chest:

NICK: Well I wouldn't have had to, because if I'd have been there I would've made sure I had walked her to the car before passing judgement.

Catherine was about to retaliate but paused as she realised that Nick had taken her hand and she hadn't pulled it away. She didn't want to. They were caught in a moment and as she stared into his eyes she ran over what he had just told her. Suddenly she imagined what it might've been like if Nick _had_ been there. She wouldn't have had a sleepless night worrying about what Lindsay's new 'boyfriend' was like because Nick would've given him the thumbs up or thumbs down. He would've cleared him. Then Catherine would've had company that evening whilst waiting for Lindsay to come home instead of drifting around the house, alone, trying to find things to do to distract her. She would've been able to sleep soundly because she would know that she and Lindsay were safe. That Nick was there. But he hadn't been there. She hadn't called him like she had been tempted to all too many times over the past thirty-two hours. And it was all her fault.

A light knock was heard at the door and the pair's smiles dropped as they turned to see their colleague and good friend Sara Sidle standing at the door of the break room, with a confused and nervous look on her face as she stared at Catherine's hand that was quickly snatched away from Nick's grip at the sudden realisation of her presence. Catherine folded her arm around her body as she still held her mug and Nick placed his hand back down on the work surface behind them, both shuffling their feet nervously trying to maintain their composure. Out of anyone who could've caught them, they were very lucky it was Sara. And they both knew it.  
Sara watched her two colleagues shuffle awkwardly in her presence. She knew why, though didn't think now was the time to accuse them of something that was most probably innocent. She knew her two colleagues were renowned for having flirtatious natures, together and apart. Which was why, when she had walked up to the open door of the break room just before Catherine had playfully swiped Nick, she hadn't been too suspicious. But it was the nature of their conversation, the way Nick had held Catherine's hand for a moment longer then he should've done for it to be platonic, the way they _gazed_ into each others eyes…Sara wasn't stupid.  
Not wanting to be nosey or jump to too many conclusions about the two who, despite being her superiors at work, were also very good friends of hers, Sara smiled as she watched Catherine, who's cheeks had flushed a brilliant red, sip nervously out of her coffee mug.

SARA: I…erm…just wanted to let you know I'm here to get a head start on the Anson case so…you know where I am if you need me.

Catherine nodded and quickly glanced awkwardly at Nick before turning back to Sara, smiling gratefully at her partly because Sara was about early to help sort out a very tricky case, but mostly because if Sara _had_ presumed something was going on between them then she wasn't going to bring it up any time soon.

CATHERINE: Thanks Sara.

She watched as Sara nodded with a 'your welcome' smile then backed away from the door and made her way up the corridor. It was during the awkward silence in the break room, following the departure of Sara, that Nick and Catherine realised just how busy it had become on the floor. Footsteps and mumbles of different conversations coming from the corridor, and the rooms trailing off it, prompted Catherine to look at her watch. Five thirty-five. She could feel Nick looking over her shoulder to look at the time and felt him exhale in surprise. The time had flown by. Nick looked down at his shirt, realising it was still soaked in coffee. Catherine followed his eyes to the stain on his shirt and she grimaced slightly. Putting her mug down on the worktop, she pulled the shirt out of his pants and away from his body to inspect the patch in more detail. She bit her lip with embarrassment as she looked up at him guiltily, yet let out a little giggle as she saw the grin on his face:

CATHERINE: Oh Nicky, I'm so sorry.

Nick laughed and gave her a wink, happy that things looked as though they were back on track for working with her tonight.

NICK: I'm not working topless tonight if that's what you're hoping…

Catherine let out a laugh and swiped him for the second time, catching the hand that held his mug resulting in more coffee to be spilled down his shirt. This in turn caused the pair to giggle even more and Catherine grabbed the nearest cloth to help mop up as much coffee off his shirt as possible.

They stopped giggling quickly when they heard a loud laugh come from the door of the break room. The pair turned to see the cheeky smile of their colleague Greg who, from the looks of his jacket and the music blasting from the headphones that hung around his neck and against his chest, had just got into work.

GREG: Ha! Looking a bit wet Stokes!

Nick waved Greg away, not wanting to be mocked. He knew that Greg would make his shift a misery throughout the night now he knew he'd spilt coffee down his front. Greg winked cheekily at his male colleague but picked up the vibe that he wasn't wanted when Catherine raised her eyebrows at him with a look that showed she was amused but not impressed by his words. Her look made Greg feel nervous and, knowing full well that getting on the wrong side of his supervisor was not a good thing, he quickly dropped his cheeky grin to a respectable smile:

GREG: I was just gonna say I'm here. Guess I'll see you in a bit.

He raised a hand as a gesture of goodbye and sauntered up the corridor. Nick furrowed his brow slightly:

NICK: Well he's certainly in a good mood.

He turned and gave her an embarrassed grin when he realised that neither of them had moved since seeing Greg. Catherine turned back to Nick to realise she still had the cloth held heavily against his wet chest.

NICK: Something tells me we'd better start work.

Catherine reciprocated his embarrassed grin and pulled the cloth away from him, placing it on the worktop beside them. She folded her arms to prevent her temptation to hug him and watched as he stepped away from her whilst emptying all contents of his mug into the sink. As Nick looked over at her with a warm smile on his face, Ecklie stopped at the door with a usual moody look on his face.

ECKLIE: Evening folks. Catherine, my office in five minutes for an update on cases.

Catherine nodded and watched her boss make his way out of the area of the break room, relieved that she had chosen to fold her arms. If it had been him instead of Sara or Greg earlier she would've been in big trouble. Nick looked over and noticed how tense she had become. He didn't want to jeopardise a good thing while it remained so, and started to walk towards the door of the break room, knowing that he couldn't stay with her for too much longer without fulfilling his desperate need to hug her:

NICK: Right… well, I'd better get scrubbed up.

Catherine shot him a nervous smile and nodded as she watched him give her another wink before making his way out of the break room in the direction of the lockers. Catherine exhaled loudly as she rubbed her sleepy eyes then pushed her strawberry blonde hair away from her face before flicking the kettle back on. This was going to be a long shift.

**Well, there you have it, another chapter :) What did you think?  
****Please leave a lil comment if you liked it…or even if you didn't…and/or if you have an idea of what you might like to see in the next chapter?  
****Thanks again for all your subscriptions :)**

It's getting mega busy now Christmas is almost here, so if I don't update before, then:  
A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!!!

**Thanks again for reading and I'll update soon!**

Sophie xx


	7. The Risky Situation

**I know I said I didn't think I would be able to update before Christmas but I couldn't help it - especially after getting some lovely comments and subscriptions :)  
Hope you enjoy this update - thanks again, Sophie xx**

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_Closing the book that she'd been trying to read, Catherine sat up in her large empty double bed as she heard a key unlock the front door of her house downstairs and she glanced over at the digital clock that hummed on the bedside table next to her. 00:37. She heard the distinct sound of Lindsay enter through the door in a pair of favourite dolly-shoes that her daughter pretty much wore everywhere. Catherine's heart began to beat fast in anticipation, desperate to throw the covers off herself, race out of her bedroom and down the stairs as fast as her feet could carry her. But she maintained composure, knowing full well that her daughter would not appreciate any interrogation the second she got home, especially at this time of night. Catherine heard the hum of a car slowly drive off from outside, then the front door close followed by a rustling as she heard her daughter taking off her winter coat, gloves, hat and scarf. She was desperate to know how Lindsay's face looked right now. Was she smiling? Was she disappointed? Impressed? Unimpressed? She closed her eyes as the sound of Lindsay's footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs, praying that her daughter would pop her head around the door and tell her how her night had been._

_Lindsay reached the top of the stairs and sighed with a dreamy smile on her face. She had had one of the best nights of her life. Then again her expectations had been low. Unbeknownst to her mum, she had been on several first dates before, the last being with Jamie Young, who she'd shared several classes with a few years ago in high school. They'd bumped into each other a couple of years later and had started dating at the beginning of March this year, a relationship that had ended messily after seven months. That had been the reason for her initial hesitation when Greg had been concerned. As much as she had fallen for his charms and good looks, she'd done much of the same with her previous dates. She wanted more than anything to trust him but she had maintained __some__ distance at the beginning of the evening. Until halfway through a romantic dinner at Greg's favourite Italian restaurant, he'd asked her about any previous boyfriends, and Lindsay had proceeded to tell him about Jamie. There had been something about his warm brown eyes and concerned face that had made her pour her heart out to him. He'd sealed the deal when he had taken her hand. They were still practically strangers, yet the knowledge that he was still willing to be there for her, comforted Lindsay more than anything. No man, young or old, in the whole twenty years of her life had shown her support before, so it was unusual to have it now._

_She looked over at the closed door of her Mum's bedroom and smiled. Lindsay knew her Mum well enough to know that she would've stayed up worrying about how her night would've gone. Not that she should worry, little did Catherine know that her daughter was in fact dating a guy that worked for her. Lindsay made it her duty to let her Mum know how her night had been so walked towards the door which had light coming from the edges, a sign that her Mum had her bedside lamp on. She knocked lightly, then opened the door, poking her head around it to see her Mum look up from a book that lay open, face down on the duvet that huddled over Catherine's outstretched legs. Lindsay could tell her Mum was trying to contain her excitement and flashed her a smile, encouraging the onslaught of questions that she knew were heading her way as her Mum patted the space next to her on the bed._

_Catherine pushed her reading glasses up so they balanced on the top of her head and rubbed her eyes sleepily as Lindsay happily sat on top of the duvet, facing her with a big smile on her face. She closed her book and turned her body to face her daughter, trying to find the best way to start a conversation without sounding too nosey:_

_CATHERINE: So…how did it go?_

_Lindsay continued to smile and let out a big sigh as she looked from the closed book up to her Mum's blue eyes. There was so much she wanted to tell her. After all, they had picked up a habit in recent times of telling each other almost everything. Lindsay had even considered once calling her Mum her best friend. Though she had to be honest, her best friend was actually Katie Harrison who she'd known since she was three. Sure, her Mum knew her well, but Katie knew her inside out and knew __all__ her secrets, the most recent being Greg. She hadn't plucked up the courage to tell her about her paternity though, which Lindsay still considered to be a private matter until she had __actually__ spoken to Nick properly._

_LINDSAY: It was…perfect…a perfect first date._

_Catherine watched as her daughter's eyes sparkled with excitement and she couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. No date's she had ever been on before could've ever been described as 'perfect', especially no first dates. She raised her eyebrows in anticipation that her daughter might elaborate on what she had just said, but Lindsay had stopped talking and now stared at the bedroom ceiling as she started twirling her hair gently between her fingers - a sign, Catherine knew, meant her daughter was tired._

_CATHERINE: Tired?_

_Catherine watched as Lindsay mumbled slightly before stifling a yawn, then turn to face her and nod with a sleepy smile. Catherine took her glasses and placed them on top of her book, put both items on her bedside cabinet before turning to her daughter again._

_CATHERINE: You're welcome to crash in here tonight if you want? _

_Catherine remembered the days when Lindsay was a kid, during storms or if she'd had an upsetting day at school, her daughter would always insist on cuddling up to her overnight as a form of comfort. Reassurance that there was still someone there for her. Ironically it was now Catherine's turn to need the comfort but Lindsay shook her head, sitting up and rubbing her eyes, accidentally smudging her makeup slightly._

_LINDSAY: Nah, I'm better in my own room._

_Lindsay watched as a slight jolt of disappointment flashed over her Catherine's face. It was getting close to Christmas and she knew her Mum was noticing how empty the bed was during the cold dark days of the week. Lindsay could think of only one person who was the best form of comfort for her Mum and she had initially been surprised when she had got home from her date to see that there was no strange coat hanging up or strange shoes at the door. She was surprised her Mum hadn't asked him round. If she had then Lindsay was surprised that he'd said no._

_LINDSAY: Hey Mom…have you called him?_

_Catherine looked up from her hands into the concerned blue eyes of her daughter. There was no question of who Lindsay had meant when she said "him". Her heart skipped a beat as she realised her mind had been read. Her daughter knew her a lot better then she thought. She shook her head, slightly embarrassed with her answer, and looked back down at her hands. She watched as they were enveloped by her daughter's:_

_LINDSAY: I really think you should._

_Catherine looked up as her daughter gave her a peck on the cheek, shot her a reassuring smile, then slid off the bed and made her way to the door. She watched as Lindsay paused momentarily, looking at her with a smile:_

_LINDSAY: Night Mum, see you in the morning._

_CATHERINE: Yeah, see you in the morning._

SARA: Hey Catherine, can I have a word?

Catherine jumped at the sound of her colleagues voice behind her and was shocked back into reality. She was out in the corridor at work, standing outside the window of a room. She had been thinking back to the night before whilst twiddling with her necklace and staring right at Nick who was the only inhabitant of the room, looking intently at the contents of a microscope. Catherine turned sharply, motioning at Sara to follow her, knowing full well she needed to walk away from Nick to distract any suspicion. As they walked down the corridor Sara watched her colleague's nervous disposition. It was unlike her. They both stepped into Catherine's office:

CATHERINE: So…what did you need to talk about?

Sara was nervous about making any accusations but for the past seven hours they had been at work she had been keeping an eye on Catherine and Nick. Looking out for any odd behaviour. Nothing, to the average colleague, was obvious. But to Sara, who's husband she had originally met at work, the signs screamed at her. There was something going on between her supervisors. The way they hung onto every word the other said - even if it _was_ about work. The way they held each other's eye contact. They even _spoke_ differently towards each other then they would towards any other colleague - more softer…almost more affectionately. And now Sara had caught Catherine, who had originally said she had to collect something from her office, stood staring at Nick clearly in deep thought.

SARA: I only bring this up because I care. Because I value you as my boss and as my friend.

Catherine's heart rate increased as she _knew_ this was going to refer to her and Nick, but she tried to keep a straight and questioning look on her face, knowing that as a senior member of staff at work she couldn't show a venerable side. She watched as Sara pushed the door shut and kept her voice low:

SARA: Is something going on between you and Nick?

Catherine had to catch her breath as she tried to force a laugh:

CATHERINE: What? Me…and Nick?!

Sara couldn't help her eyes from rolling in frustration. Now was not the time for denial and the look on Catherine's face said it all.

SARA: Look I'm not stupid, Catherine. I know the signs of an office romance better than anyone.

Catherine sighed, looking nervously around her as all the windows that looked into her office had their blinds open and her colleagues milled around the corridor between rooms, none looking in however. A small smile appeared on Sara's face and Catherine couldn't help but groan in frustration. She hated being interrogated:

CATHERINE: Sara, believe me, _nothing_ is going on between me and Nick.

Sara furrowed her brows slightly, confused as to why her friend was choosing to lie to her. It was all there. She had never felt tension between two people like she had between Nick and Catherine. Tension that she had once felt with Gil all those years ago. She watched as Catherine's face became more nervous and she spoke in a low voice, as though people on the outside could hear their conversation.

CATHERINE: Look…there _might_ be something there…but…there are rules…and…

SARA: It's not like you'll lose your job. One of you could just move to the swing shift?

Catherine sighed, upset that as great this option sounded it just didn't suit the type of people she and Nick were. Sara watched, astounded as her supervisor nearly broke down in front of her, noting the desperation in her voice.

CATHERINE: Yes but you don't understand. I could never do a shift without him. It may have worked great for you and Grissom, but me and Nick…we actually need each other to get _through_ a shift. I couldn't do this job without him…

Sara watched as a crestfallen Catherine sighed, wiped her hair from her face and perched on the edge of her desk. The strawberry blonde had got it bad, and Sara knew it. She opened her mouth to offer words of comfort but before she could a mobile phone rang. Catherine reached into her pocket and answered it in a glum voice, without looking at the caller id.

CATHERINE: Willows…

Sara listened as she heard a voice she recognised as Catherine's daughter, Lindsay:

CATHERINE: Oh hey Lindsay. Good day at work?

_LINDSAY: Yeah not too bad. You?_

Sara watched as Catherine looked up at her with a nervous look:

CATHERINE: Its been better.

_LINDSAY: Oh. I was just wondering if you had Nick's number? I was thinking of giving him a call to see if he was about for breakfast or something? You know…like a bit of bonding time?_

Catherine's heart rate increased as she watched Sara raise her eyebrows. Why did her daughter have such a loud voice on the phone? She stood up in embarrassment and turned her back, keeping her voice low in the hope that Sara couldn't hear much more of the conversation.

CATHERINE: I…erm…don't have it to hand.

She glanced awkwardly at Sara who had a smile on her face as the conversation wore on:

_LINDSAY: Oh…really? I would've thought you'd have memorised it by now.._

CATHERINE: What?

_LINDSAY: Well you've known each other for over twenty years, surly you should know it by now._

Catherine screwed her faced up and rubbed her forehead with her spare hand. She was beginning to get a headache:

CATHERINE: No…

Just when she thought the call couldn't get any worse, it did:

_LINDSAY: Oh…well never mind I noticed the other day you had it on a post-it note on your pin-board…you know, the one on your office wall…I think it was a pink post-it note…_

True to direction, and to Catherine's dismay, she spun on the spot to see Sara step over to the pin-board with her arms folded then un-pin a pink post-it headed in bold capitals "Nicky's Number". Sara handed it to her with an amused grin on her face and Catherine took it from her, clearly annoyed:

CATHERINE: Got it…

Sara watched as Catherine read out the digits slowly to her daughter, then wished Lindsay sweet dreams before hanging up. Sara couldn't wipe the smile off her face as Catherine exhaled in frustration and resumed her place on the edge of the desk.

SARA: So…why does Lindsay want to meet up with Nick for - and I quote - some 'bonding time'?

Catherine looked up at the questioning look on her colleague's but before she could answer a knock was heard at the door. Both women turned to see Nick standing outside the office with a results sheet held up next to his smiling face. Sara watched in delight as Catherine got up, mumbled 'not a word' to her, before taking a deep breath and opening the door.

CATHERINE: Hey Nicky. What you got?

Catherine kept her eyes locked on the results sheet that Nick held to as he explained his findings. She could feel Sara's eyes on her looking for a sign, but Catherine was trying her hardest not to give her any opportunity. A natural pause came in the explanation and Nick took a deep breath waiting for a smile from Catherine which he knew he deserved, but she had kept her eyes firmly on the paper with her arms crossed. He looked over at Sara who had a big grin on her face, back to Catherine who continued to look uncomfortably at his hands. His heart sunk as he put everything together slowly. Sara must have worked out that there was _something_ between him and Catherine. Not that there was anything going on. But he wanted something to go on and he was sure Catherine did too. He looked at the woman who stood about a foot away from him:

NICK: Cath?

He waited a moment for her to look up and as she did he was gutted to see disappointment in her eyes:

NICK: What do you think?

Catherine furrowed her brow slightly, trying to work out what he meant, before seeing the paper in his hand and understanding:

CATHERINE: Oh…right…yeah, good job.

She forced a smile, caught his confused eyes then looked over at Sara in the hope that she wasn't grinning. To her relief their colleague wasn't and was now looking slightly guilty. She turned back to Nick, hoping to explain what Sara had said to her. They never kept things from each other:

CATHERINE: Look we---

But before she could say anything her stomach flipped as she heard Nick's phone go off. He looked at the caller id and frowned slightly then answered it to a familiar voice:

NICK: Stokes…oh…hey Lindsay…

He looked nervously, from Sara's confused face over to Catherine's horrified face, and made his way out of the office into his own, closing the door behind him as he did so. Both women watched him leave before turning to each other. Catherine could tell Sara wanted answers but for now she had to wait as Catherine wasn't sure what the answers were herself.

CATHERINE: Look, I'll tell you about it another time. For now, it's _very_ early days…

She watched as Sara walked up to her with a serious look on her face:

SARA: Catherine, I don't want either of you to risk being suspended. If you and Nick _are_ together, then one of you really needs to consider swapping shifts.

As the words left Sara's mouth Catherine became nervous. It was all true and she and Nick knew it. They _knew_ that they wouldn't be able to have a relationship outside of work and still remain on the same shift together. She took a deep breath, trying to remain calm though inside she was screaming at Sara "I_ know!! I know!! Stop treating me like a kid!!":_

CATHERINE: Well it's a good thing we don't have to cross that line…

Sara watched as Catherine opened the door to her office, politely motioning for her to leave whilst speaking in a low defiant voice:

CATHERINE: …because we're _not_ together.

Catherine watched as her colleague and friend walked out of her office with a look of concern and confusion. Before stepping back, Catherine glanced over at the window of Nick's office to see him sitting at his desk with a big smile on his face. A wave of relief rushed over Catherine for a moment in the knowledge that he and Lindsay seemed to be getting along, but the initial happiness seeped away as she remembered the risky situation she and Nick were in at work.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed this little update. Keep commenting if you can :) it keeps me motivated to update!  
****I'll update soon - all the best, Sophie xx**


	8. The Interrogation

Nick leaned back on the chair in his office and sighed heavily, rubbing his eyes before looking up at the clock that hung opposite him on the wall. His shift had _technically_ ended twenty minutes ago but to be honest he hadn't done much for over an hour other than sit at his desk, staring at paperwork for a case that he had mulled over for most of the night. Or at least _tried_ to mull over.

He could hear the sound of heels clicking up the corridor towards the office next door to his and he craned his neck to see, through the window of his closed door, Catherine and Sara keeping their voices low as they held a somewhat serious conversation outside Catherine's office - which Nick presumed was about a case due to the file that was passed between the women's hands every so often. All of a sudden he saw Catherine's sharp blue eyes glance into the window.  
Her face softened out of the concerned, harassed expression she had once held as she locked eyes with his, and she quickly looked back to the woman beside her. To Nick's surprise, she rolled her eyes as their colleague turned to look through the window at him. He watched as Sara's eyebrows raised, a small smile growing on her face, before turning back to the strawberry blonde who now looked embarrassingly away from either of her colleagues' eye contact. Nick couldn't blame Catherine for feeling awkward. It looked like he wasn't the only one to be getting a grilling from Sara:

_SARA: So__…__you and Catherine seem to be getting along well._

_Nick looked over from the photo__'__s of a victim__'__s unusual bruises that laid on a huge desk before them and furrowed his brow in slight confusion as to why she may have brought up the topic. He knew Sara well enough to know that she had tonnes of questions that she was dying to have answered, she would just need a perfect opportunity - one which Nick was determined not to give her. He shrugged, nonplussed at his colleague statement:_

_NICK: Yeah, well we always get along well._

_He watched as a small bemused grin spread over Sara__'__s face. She raised her eyebrows and put a hand on her hip:_

_SARA: You know what I mean__…_

_NICK: I really don__'__t Sara._

_He turned back to the desk and pretended to inspect the photos carefully. He noticed out of the corner of his eye, Sara lean on the desk towards him and keep her voice low, as though she was telling him a big secret:_

_SARA: Are you two__…__you know__…_

_Nick looked over at her in surprise as she let her sentence hang ready for him to jump in at any moment. What did she mean by __'__you know__'__?? Well, he presumed what she meant but didn't want to rise to the bait. He frowned and watched as Sara rolled her eyes in frustration:_

_SARA: __…__sleeping together?_

_Nick felt as though he__'__d been slapped round the chops and lost his breath for a moment as her words rang in his ears._

_NICK: Wha---what?! No! No__…_

_It was the truth. He and Catherine weren't sleeping together. And to his relief Sara leant back off the desk, raising her hands in defence:_

_SARA: Okay, okay._

_Nick took a deep breath and resumed his focus on the photos before him, happy with the conversation going presumably cold._

_SARA: Cos I know an office romance when I see one__…_

_Nick sighed in frustration at her interruption and his voice became firm:_

_NICK: Look, nothing is going on between us. We know our place. We know there are rules__…_

_SARA: Ah! So you __would __want something to happen if it could?_

_Nick could feel the heat rising into his face. He saw the huge smile on his colleagues face as she folded her arms with result. He wanted to leave the room very quickly. To get away from her questions. He looked out of the windows of the layout room before facing Sara, keeping his voice low:_

_NICK: Look, I__'__d rather spend long hours __with__ her at work __without__ a relationship then spend long hours __without__ her at work __with__ a relationship. Things are complicated enough as it is without us having a secret love affair._

_Sara's sharp ears honed in on his last sentence and her face quickly dropped in confusion:_

_SARA: Complicated? How are things complicated?_

_Nick sighed, kicking himself internally at his choice of words. If anything, this would flare up Sara's interrogation further:_

_NICK: Never mind, it doesn__'__t matter._

_SARA: Seriously__…__Nick__…__have you and Catherine already slep---?_

_Nick didn__'__t hang around to hear the inevitable end to her question, stormed out of the layout room, up the corridor and shut himself away in his office, hoping to ride out the last hour of his shift without any more interrogation._

Nick couldn't help feeling guilty. Catherine already had enough stress and pressure at work without her having to worry about office gossip. He watched as she sighed at the sound of her cell, answered it and walked into her office, leaving the door open to allow Sara to follow, which the brunette did so eagerly.  
Nick sighed before looking over at his own cell phone that sat on top of his paperwork. He couldn't wait any longer. He had to go. He hastily stood up and walked over to his coat stand by the door. He shoved the thick coat around himself before squeezing his hands into a pair of winter gloves.  
As he reached out and opened the door he froze, almost bumping into Sara who was grudgingly walking out of Catherine's office.

SARA: Oh…guess I'll see you later Nick…

Nick smiled politely then nodded before watching her walk down the corridor and into one of the rooms that stemmed from it. He took a deep frustrated breath before looking back towards his neighbouring office, surprised to see the familiar figure of Catherine holding it open with a warm yet harassed smile.

CATHERINE: You now off?

Nick motioned to his office, nervous about talking to her for the first time in hours. Nervous about saying something wrong:

NICK: Yeah, well I'm…I've done all I really can for tonight.

Catherine nodded understandably, a slight hint of disappointment flashing over her face.

CATHERINE: Right…well…I've got a meeting with Ecklie in twenty minutes… Something about backed-up cases or something…so…I would grab some breakfast with you but…

As her sentence trailed off Nick forced a smile despite his disappointment at her plans for the morning:

NICK: Right…

Catherine looked at him sadly. Sad that she hadn't seen too much of him during the shift. Sad that she had to stay here much longer than him. Sad that things seemed to have changed between them. And she couldn't understand why. She suddenly began to feel nervous and she had to take a large intake of breath as he stepped past her and into her office. She looked up the corridor then closed them in her office, satisfied that no one had noticed their initial hesitation. She turned to see Nick standing not too far away from her, his hands stuffed in his pockets nervously.

NICK: Sara been interrogating you?

A big smile wiped over Catherine's face and she giggled while nodding:

CATHERINE: Yeah. You?

Nick laughed and nodded. Any awkwardness that'd been in the atmosphere had slipped away in a matter of moments and to their relief the pair felt at ease in one another's presence again. The office became obviously quiet and the two held each other's gaze for a while with dopey smiles on their faces. Suddenly a cell went off causing both of them to jump as the silence was cut and Nick rummaged in his coat pocket, pulling out his cell.  
Catherine watched as a smile grew on his face as he checked a message and a short wave of jealousy surrounded Catherine. She wanted to know who it was that was sending him messages. Someone that made him smile so sweetly. Then suddenly she stopped herself, realising that she was almost acting like a possessive girlfriend. But that was just it, she _wasn__'__t_ his girlfriend. There was nothing stopping him from seeing someone else. Catherine hadn't even thought that far over the past couple of days. She just presumed that as the two of them had a daughter together, that they had some sort of _connection_ - physically, emotionally - that maybe he wouldn't date. Maybe he would wait until an opportunity arose where they may be able to be together. And even that idea scared Catherine somewhat. They had never dated, let alone have a romantic relationship together. Lindsay was the result of a one night stand. A night that both had agreed meant nothing - but secretly had meant the world to them. What if it didn't work out? What if somehow their love _and_ their friendship fell to pieces in seconds? Catherine didn't want that. She wanted him to be by her side forever. She wanted to be with him everyday for the rest of their lives - even if they were 'just colleagues'---

NICK: Cath?

Catherine snapped out of her daydream with a jump, realising that Nick had opened the door of her office and was beginning to step out.

NICK: I was just saying I'll see you later…

Catherine's heart fell as she realised that he must have been talking to her the whole time. What if he had said something about this girl he was presumably seeing? She had completely missed the chance to ask questions, to make statements, to tell him that she had changed her mind - that she _would_ be okay with the idea of working the swing shift so they could be together. A lot like waiting during wedding vows to yell 'I OBJECT'. _Anything_ to persuade him not to see this girl anymore. But she had missed the chance, and now - she presumed - he was going to meet up with this mystery girl, fall in love, and not even batter an eyelid about her stuck here at work. All the chemistry. The professional affection. All those longing glances that they shared at work. All would be gone.

CATHERINE: Right…yeah…see you later Nicky.

She watched sadly as he shot her a smile, then walked out of her office. Leaving her stood, motionless, in shock, watching him walk away from her.

* * *

**HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE :)**

Hope you all enjoyed this update. It's a little step up to a new twist I'm trying to bring up...which is difficult with only 8 chapters so far but I'm trying my best to keep you all hooked :)

Sorry it's been a while since an update - its been a busy couple of weeks in my household!  
Much is back to normal though so expect a new update soon!

**Comments and feedback would really be appreciated.  
Many thanks for reading - Sophie xxx  
**


	9. The Handsome Prince

Nick sat on one of the bar stools in the café, tapping his coffee mug with anticipation. He'd given up turning around to see who was coming through the door each time the bell rang as it was never the girl he was waiting for. His mind kept flicking through old memories as he tried to distract himself from his impending nerves, old memories of her. The first time he had first laid eyes on her. Three weeks after she had been born in 1989.

Nick closed his eyes. He remembered the tired yet excitable grin on Catherine's face as she stepped into the break room holding her little bundle of joy. He remembered the moment she had handed the tiny baby girl to him. It was the first time he had held a baby that young and he had held her in his arms as though she was the most fragile thing in the world. He remembered the big blue saucer eyes that had stared up at him, almost as though there was a connection between the two of them. He remembered the pang of jealously that had rippled inside him as he watched Eddie saunter into the room with a smug look on his face. Then the empty feeling he had felt when he surrendered the baby girl to Catherine, who in-turn handed her over to Eddie. The sadness he had felt as he watched the little family before him, all smiles despite the difficulties that Nick always knew had bubbled away beneath the surface. He remembered watching them leave the room, noting Catherine's final moment to look back at him with a brave smile. And for the millionth time in a handful of days, Nick replayed the scene again trying to imagine what it had been like had he said something. Had he stood up for her. Had he given Eddie a piece of his mind. Had he demanded to know if he was the father. It was too easy to imagine what could have happened, and Nick sighed heavily as he put his head in his hands.

LINDSAY: Long day?

Nick jumped at the sound of the voice that had come from a figure standing beside him. He looked up to see those blue eyes. The one's he had looked into for the first time over twenty years ago. Lindsay took his smile as an invitation to take the seat opposite him, and smiled back as she placed a full mug of hot chocolate on the table.

LINDSAY: Sorry I'm late. Traffic was horrible and Katie had to stop for gas before dropping me off.

NICK: No worries, I haven't been here too long.

Lindsay's sharp eyes honed in on the large half-empty mug that Nick held onto and she raised her eyebrows at him, knowing full well that he had been there for a while. Nick couldn't help but laugh at how similar she was to her mother.

NICK: Alright so maybe I've been here for a _little_ while.

They both smiled at each other, nervous at this first proper encounter alone. Nick frowned slightly, curious to have heard a new name that seemed to flow so freely from the young woman's mouth.

NICK: Katie…

Lindsay raised her eyebrows and smiled. She was surprised that she hadn't told him about her best friend yet. Then again, they hadn't had much time to talk. That was what this meeting was all about. A chance to get to know each other.

LINDSAY: Katie's my best friend. We've grown up together since we were knee-high. She knows me inside-out.

Nick smiled at the new knowledge, despite a tiny pang of jealousy towards Katie, who knew so much more about his own daughter then he did. He watched the strawberry-blonde before him take a sip of hot chocolate, before speaking again:

LINDSAY: I stayed at hers last night. She dropped me off on her way to work this morning. I stay at hers quite a bit. Cos Mum works nights…it…sometimes gets a bit creepy staying in a huge house on your own…

Her sentence trailed off and she took another sip before looking up at the man in front of her. In an instant Lindsay could see how her mother had fallen for him. She couldn't help but smile slightly at his soft brown eyes. They were so warm and comforting, as though she could pour her heart and soul out to him and he would never take a moment to judge. He was calm, quiet and approachable, which instantly made Lindsay feel safe within his presence. She thought back to what her Mum had told her in the café the previous morning, about how Nick had reacted to Eddie's abuse _"for days he kept an eye on me at work, making sure we shared the same cases so he could…protect me…"_ Nick was everything a Dad should be, Lindsay was sure of it. A protector and a good listener, no doubt with some brilliant advice.

Nick felt uneasy at the sudden silence and shuffled in his seat as he hoped Lindsay would begin talking again. But she didn't so he took the opportunity to ask a question he had been dying to ask her ever since Catherine had given him a vague outline earlier that morning:

NICK: So how did the date go last night?

Lindsay raised her eyebrows with a small smile and Nick couldn't help but laugh slightly as he noticed an all-too familiar expression that he had seen on Catherine's face a million times before. An expression that said "as if you don't know already":

LINDSAY: I'm sure Mum filled you in no doubt.

Nick shrugged and took a sip of his coffee:

NICK: She seemed to have an issue with a certain rose that your boyfriend had given you, other than that she disclosed no further information.

Lindsay rolled her eyes before looking at Nick seriously with her sharp blue eyes:

LINDSAY: Well for one thing, he's not my boyfriend…

NICK: …Lindsay…

A small smile grew on the young woman's face as her father looked at her disbelievingly. With one word he had managed to do more than her mother could in a whole day and that was make her admit the truth. She sighed with a smile:

LINDSAY: …well not _officially _anyway…what did Mum say about him?

Nick laughed as he recalled Catherine's over-analysis of the whole situation.

NICK: She concluded that because he'd given you a rose, he must've been a sleazebag.

Lindsay groaned in frustration and put her head in her hands at her mother's protective nature. This was precisely the reason why she had never told her Mum about any previous dates, because Catherine had a habit of over-reacting:

LINDSAY: I _knew_ she would hate the rose-thing!

Nick watched as she looked up at him, raising her eyebrows and moving her hands about to emphasise her words, just like her mother:

LINDSAY: Seriously, the second he handed it to me I thought 'oh, Mum's just gonna _love_ this'…

Nick continued to laugh at his daughter's sarcasm as she took a sip of hot chocolate. Their giggling subsided and Lindsay looked up at her father seriously, wanting to stress the details of her date. Despite only having really known the man for a couple of days, she still craved his opinion. Not wanting to be too full-on. But at the same time wanting to open the door into her life. She kept her voice low, nervous about revealing the details to a family member for the first time.

LINDSAY: He was the perfect gentleman. We ate in the cutest little restaurant. He paid for everything. Then drove me home, ending the night with nothing more than a kiss on the cheek.

Nick watched as Lindsay blushed with a small smile on her face before returning to her drink. He had the funniest feeling she hadn't told Catherine any of this information yet. Something that made Nick feel humbled by her gesture, yet awkward that this could be information he would have to keep to himself. He kept his voice low, but with a warm inviting smile:

NICK: Sounds like the perfect first date.

A dreamy smile appeared on Lindsay's face as she stared down at her hot chocolate, nodding slightly:

LINDSAY: Yeah, it was.

NICK: Did you tell your Mum all about it?

Lindsay looked at him nervously and shook her head:

LINDSAY: Not really…

Nick gave her a small understanding smile. He knew how much Catherine loved Lindsay. She was her whole world. Something as big as a first date was a big deal for Catherine, and Nick was sure that Lindsay had picked up on that. It was natural for the girl to want to keep things to herself for now, especially as Catherine was a one for digging hard for information.

NICK: I think you should…she'd really like that.

Lindsay smiled. She knew he was right. She just had no idea where to start. Lindsay looked down at her cell phone that vibrated on the surface of the table next to her mug. Nick watched as his daughter picked up her phone to see who had sent her a message. A smile appeared on her face as she held up the device:

LINDSAY: Speak of the devil..

Nick's heart skipped a beat as he knew Lindsay was talking about Catherine. He watched as the young blonde casually texted a quick reply. Lindsay placed her phone back on the table, looked up and couldn't help the smile that grew on her face as she saw the expectant look on Nick's face. She thought back to the day before when she had watched him interact with her Mum. The smile her Mum had given him, smiles Lindsay had never seen on her Mum's face before, was almost enough to confirm her suspicions. Lindsay had wondered if there was something more to Nick and her Mum than just a platonic work relationship and the man opposite wasn't doing anything to stop her questioning the blindingly obvious.

LINDSAY: She just said she's going to be a bit late getting home.

Nick thought back to what Catherine had told him earlier and nodded:

NICK: She's got a meeting this morning…

Lindsay watched as Nick took his own cell from his pocket and glanced at it to check that he hadn't received any messages. She knew he was hoping to have one from the same person and she couldn't help smiling at her Dad's lack of subtlety when her Mum was concerned.

NICK: …she's okay, yeah?

Lindsay shrugged with a curious grin as Nick put his cell on the table and continued to look at her with a concerned and questioning look:

LINDSAY: I guess. You should know, you've seen her more recently then I have.

Lindsay collected the empty mugs and took them back up to the counter as Nick thought back to the last moment he had seen Catherine, just as he was leaving work, secretly hoping that she was finished too and could join him for breakfast just as they had done the previous day:

_CATHERINE: Got a meeting in twenty minutes with Ecklie. Something about backed-up cases or something…_

_Nick's disappointment was interrupted as he felt his cell vibrate and he reached into his pocket, fished it out, before smiling as he noticed a message from Lindsay:  
"Hey now on my way. Meet you in 20 mins at that café, Linds x"  
Nick put the phone back in his pocket with a yawn and walked over to open the office door:_

_NICK: Okay well I've gotta go…_

_He looked around, expecting to see the familiar strawberry blonde figure beside him but to his surprise Catherine hadn't moved an inch, instead she had furrowed her brow slightly as though thinking hard about something._

_NICK: Cath?_

_He watched as Catherine jumped at the sound of his voice, as though she had forgotten he was even in the room. He caught her deep blue eyes and sighed, disappointed that she couldn't leave with him, that they couldn't spend the day together. But they had both agreed that nothing could happen between them, that it was better for them to only spend time together outside of work if it was in Lindsay's best interest._

_NICK: I was just saying I'll see you later…_

_He watched as her face fell and she shot him a sad look, though Nick wasn't entirely sure why. After all it was Catherine who had the meeting, she was the one who couldn't come with him:_

_CATHERINE: Right…yeah…see you later Nicky._

_He hated having to leave her especially when she give him a look that made her seem so venerable, but he couldn't let Lindsay down. It was so important that he wasn't late for this first real encounter with their daughter. He shot Catherine a reassuring smile hoping that it would comfort her for now, and took a deep breath before forcing himself to exit the office and not look back, knowing that if he did he would probably never leave._

The clunk of the fresh mug of coffee that Lindsay had placed in front of him jumped Nick out of his daydream and he smiled as he watched his daughter place a fresh mug of hot chocolate on the table before her, then returning to her seat.

NICK: So…excited for Christmas?

Lindsay raised her eyebrows and looked over at her Dad curiously with a flash of an unimpressed smile.

LINDSAY: Christmas?? That's, like, _five_ weeks away!

Nick laughed, not realising just how farfetched his question had seemed:

NICK: I know…so are you?

Lindsay shrugged with a small smile:

LINDSAY: I guess. Christmas is nothing special.

NICK: What?? Nothing special?! Decorating the tree. All those presents. Seeing family members you forget about the rest of the year. The food. The rubbish movies on TV. Goodwill to all…

LINDSAY: Well for starters its usually only me and Mum…Grandma at a push. We haven't had a Christmas tree in years cos Mum can never find the time to get one. And presents…well…I don't really want anything this year…

Nick looked over at Lindsay's under whelmed face. There was nothing he could think of saying to respond. Nick watched as Lindsay poured sugar into her hot chocolate, not taking her eyes off the dark brown liquid. He couldn't believe the young woman before him was his _daughter_. There was so much he still needed and wanted to find out.

NICK: Surely there must be _something_ you might want or need??

Lindsay shrugged and shook her head before looking up at him:

LINDSAY: I guess I've grown out of wanting things. Though…

Lindsay hesitated as she thought about what she was going to say. Delving into the depths of her inner feelings and wishes probably wasn't the best thing to do after only one drink but as she looked up Nick leaned forward, looking at her with a warm smile that encouraged her to reveal:

LINDSAY: …when I was younger, Christmas was always a sullen event. Mum was so miserable because she would spend it alone…r

NICK: She had you.

Lindsay broke a little smile despite shaking her head slowly:

LINDSAY: I know but…I mean, she didn't have a man to keep her company. That made her sad I guess so…as a kid I used to always wish that Santa would bring her a handsome prince.

Nick raised his eyebrows with a little grin at the tiny piece of information that his daughter had revealed about her past. It was a little insight into how life was like for her as a little girl.

NICK: Handsome prince?

Lindsay smiled and flicked her fringe back embarrassed:

LINDSAY: Yeah. When I was about nine or ten, I asked Mom why she was sad and she said that she just needed a handsome prince in her life to look after her…

Nick wasn't entirely sure what to say. He could've been that person. All Catherine had needed to do was ask and he would've been there for her. He would've looked after her. He would've been happy to help. Lindsay looked at him with a nervous smile and kept her voice low as she swirled a teaspoon around in her mug:

LINDSAY: It's funny, there's something about you…

A small smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he watched his daughter nervously compliment his complicated connection with her mother:

LINDSAY: …I think…she really likes you Nick…

Nick's stomach twisted as he heard his daughter's confession. A confession that he had a feeling about himself, but was relieved to hear it from someone else.

LINDSAY: …And I know, I know, there are 'rules'…

Nick continued to watch his daughter as she carried on talking, clearly struggling to find the best words to describe what she was thinking:

LINDSAY: …but, think about it. She's alone. And as far as I'm aware, you're alone?

Lindsay paused for an answer, having not even thought for a moment that Nick _might_ be with someone. To her relief, he nodded:

NICK: I guess I am alone…

Lindsay smiled reassuringly and raised her eyebrows:

LINDSAY: She's alone. You're alone. Why don't you both be alone together?

To anyone, what Lindsay had just said wouldn't have made any sense. But to Nick, it was something he had thought about on and off for years. It made perfect sense.

LINDSAY: After all, I'm something that you both have in common. That's a pretty good reason right?

Nick mirrored his daughter's smile and sighed:

NICK: Have you talked to your Mom about this?

Lindsay shot him an awkward smile and shook her head:

LINDSAY: Lets just say, I think you'd make the perfect 'handsome prince' for her.

Nick laughed and sat back in his seat as his daughter gave him a wicked grin. She was just like her mother. Once she'd got an idea in her head, there was no backing down.

* * *

**Sorry for the delay in update - tad bit of writers block..  
But the fab thing is I've already done a chapter plan for the next 10 chapters so i'll try and find some time to write those up :)  
You shouldnt have to wait too long for an update!**

******Hope this was an ok chapter..I wasnt too sure about it but knew it had to be done for the plot to thicken.  
Thanks for all the comments and subscriptions - all the best, Sophie xx **


	10. The Horrible End to a Bizarre Day

Catherine eased the boots off her aching feet and dropped them next to her bag by the front door before sauntering into the sunlit kitchen of her house. She yawned, a small smile drifted on her face as she thought back to the past couple of hours, and she placed her keys onto the surface of the island that stood in the middle of the kitchen before making her way over to a cupboard, pulling out a glass in the process and filling it up with fresh water.

_Catherine hastily closed her office door behind her and plonked down on the seat that sat behind her desk. She leant back in it and sighed heavily, rubbing her eyes then pushed her fringe back, overly-relieved that the long haul that was Ecklie's "Head of Departments" meeting was finally over. She made a habit of never clock-watching, especially during meetings, and especially when over two hours ago she would've been home and probably fast asleep in bed. But the only thing that had rattled around in Catherine's mind, from the final moment she had seen him leave, was Nick and what he would be doing at that very time. What he __could__ be doing had she not had to attend the silly little meeting and would have left the building at the same time as him. The silly little meeting which was much the same as always, talk about how to cut costs, how to increase turn over in completed cases as opposed to leaving cases at a dead end. But there __had__ been a meeting. Which she had __had__ to attend. And now Nick was no doubt out having breakfast with a beautiful young woman…no doubt forgetting all about her…forgetting all about what might have existed…_

_Catherine jumped out of her tired deep thoughts at the sound of a loud sharp knock on the door of her office. She sat up and tried to look awake before looking from the clock down to the door:_

_CATHERINE: Come in._

_The tall, handsome figure of Detective Vartann entered her office cautiously, with a small look of concern on his face as he looked over at her tired face._

_CATHERINE: What can I do for you Lou?_

_Vartann didn't wait to be asked twice and shut the door behind him:_

_VARTANN: Are you okay?_

_Catherine furrowed her brow slightly as she straightened up a couple of files on her desk busily. He had noticed that she hadn't been all there at the meeting. She hadn't meant to show a sign of weakness. As though a crack had formed in her sturdy exterior. And for someone as much of a stranger as Vartann to notice, wasn't something she welcomed:_

_VARTANN: I mean…you seemed a bit distracted during the meeting…_

_Catherine watched as the man opposite her slowly approached the desk, his concerned expression never faltering once. She didn't know what to say. She couldn't admit that she had been thinking about Nick. Nor could she explain all the recent complications that had arisen regarding Lindsay. If any information about her very private life leaked out into any office within the building, she knew she would be in a lot of trouble._

_CATHERINE: I'm fine…just got a lot on my mind at the moment._

_To her surprise, Vartann perched on the edge of the desk and gave her a sympathetic smile. He was so close she could smell his aftershave. It was strong, not subtle like Nick's, but she still liked it non-the-less:_

_VARTANN: Yeah, I know what you mean… _

_Catherine furrowed her brow slightly, wanting to defensively correct him that he had no idea what she meant. But she held her tongue as he continued to talk, not having noticed her change in expression._

_VARTANN: …Cutting down costs is going to be a tricky one._

_Catherine relaxed her face in relief that he hadn't noticed her hesitation. If it had been Nick, someone who read her perfectly, he would've immediately asked her what was wrong. She looked up and caught Vartann's grey eyes staring right back at her. He seemed nervous as he fiddled with his wristwatch:_

_VARTANN: Listen, did you wanna talk about it…Maybe over some breakfast?_

_Catherine hesitated. Was he asking her out? So much had happened in such a short amount of time recently that she wasn't entirely sure whether she was ready to branch out to a new man. Especially as she was still relatively hung up on Nick, despite the knowledge that realistically they would never be together. Catherine looked down with a polite grin at her phone that sat beside the files on her desk, stalling for time as she thought about the question. This time last week she probably wouldn't have hesitated. After all, it was her life and she was getting closer to the age where opportunities like this would stop arising. Lindsay was always a factor in any decision she made, but now she had Nick to consider too._

_VARTANN: It's just breakfast._

_Catherine snapped out of her thoughts. Nick hadn't considered her when he had agreed to meet whichever girl he was meeting for breakfast this morning, so why should she consider him? Catherine looked up at the nervous face of Vartann and a small smile grew on her face:_

_CATHERINE: Sure._

Lindsay stopped at the double doors of the kitchen to see her mother leant against the work surface, sipping water from a glass, deep in thought.

LINDSAY: Oh, so you're back then.

Catherine looked over from her position to see her daughter, dressed in black skinny jeans and a black work-shirt, walk into the room with her eyebrows raised in an unimpressed fashion:

LINDSAY: I didn't think your meetings took that long…

Catherine watched as the strawberry blonde before her reached into the fridge and picked out a small bowl of melon before turning to her, waiting innocently for an answer. Catherine didn't want to lie to her daughter, but at the same time she was certain Lindsay would not welcome the truth with open arms, so she chose her words carefully:

CATHERINE: They don't…

She took a nervous sip of her water then looked over at the keys that sat on the side opposite her, hoping that her daughter wasn't going to ask any more questions. But as she thought about it, Catherine realised that Lindsay hadn't disclosed any details about her being late:

CATHERINE: …how did you know I had a meeting anyway?

Lindsay licked the last of the melon juice off her fingers and walked towards her mother, placing the empty bowl in the sink, before reaching out and grabbing a banana with a shrug:

LINDSAY: Nick told me at breakfast.

Catherine's stomach plunged as she watched her daughter walk over to the island in the middle of the kitchen and perch on a stool beside it before pealing the fruit in her hand. Nick had met up with _Lindsay_ for breakfast? Why hadn't he said anything? Why hadn't she realised herself? The worst thing was, Catherine had actually enjoyed Vartann's company that morning over breakfast. He was confident, funny and had clearly tried very hard to cheer her up, even going as far as to re-order her breakfast when he had misunderstood "double pancakes" for "double porridge" which she had initially attempted to eat politely before he noticed her almost throw up. He was a good man, and a good man was what she needed, especially with her track record in men, mixed with the irony of her situation with Nick.

Lindsay looked over and paused mid-bite as she watched the colour drain from her mother's face:

LINDSAY: Mom…Are you okay?

Catherine couldn't bare the idea of breaking her daughter's heart. Lindsay had presumably bonded well with Nick, as had been the hope, and she turned to see Lindsay staring over at her with huge blue eyes that were tainted with concern. Catherine sighed and turned to face the sink but Lindsay had frozen on the spot, trying her hardest to work out what had got to her mother:

LINDSAY: Something's happened…

Lindsay began to worry. It was rare to see her mother looking so nervous, especially after such a good couple of days. At least, Lindsay had felt they were a good couple of days. She slowly walked over to the figure of her mother, who stared intently out of the window, tears in her eyes as she fiddled with her hands nervously. Catherine's heart jumped as she felt her daughter's cool hands envelope hers reassuringly. This small action was encouragement for Catherine, though she couldn't bring herself to hold any eye contact with the young woman beside her. With a soft, low voice, Catherine forced the words out of her mouth, dreading the consequences:

CATHERINE: I had breakfast with a guy from work this morning…that was why I was late.

Catherine clenched her eyes shut, hoping that her daughter would handle this news calmly but to her dismay, Lindsay removed her hands and took a step back. She looked over at the shocked look on her daughter's face. Lindsay brought a hand up and pushed back a piece of unruly blonde hair:

LINDSAY: What…?

Catherine turned to face her daughter as she watched the cogs turning in the young woman's head. She had never wanted to hurt her and had half-hoped that Lindsay was mature enough to accept her recent decisions. She opened her mouth to begin defending herself but Lindsay hadn't finished:

LINDSAY: But…you and Nick…

Catherine's heart fell as she watched her daughter's face fall. In a flash, Lindsay looked as though she was 6 years old again and this was what made Catherine's nerves increase. She hated to let her daughter down:

CATHERINE: …I know…but Lindsay, Nick and I have both agreed that nothing can happen between the two of us.

Lindsay held back her tears, taking a deep breath and shrugged as she inspected her mother's desperate-looking face. She tried to understand, but she couldn't get her head around the knowledge that her parents were in such a "forbidden love" situation.

LINDSAY: But he said…

Catherine looked up quickly at her daughter as Lindsay stopped her quiet sentence abruptly and sighed instead:

CATHERINE: …what..?

Nick had said something and Catherine was desperate to know what, but Lindsay just shook her head with a shrug as her face grew slightly darker, her voice becoming colder:

LINDSAY: It doesn't matter. You've made your decision.

CATHERINE: Lindsay…

Catherine rolled her eyes as she watched Lindsay imitate her stubborn nature by angrily throwing a banana skin in the bin with a loud bang then stare over at her with her arms folded defensively. This reaction didn't reflect well on her parenting skills and the older her daughter got, the more concerned Catherine became as she recognised many sides of herself in Lindsay's personality. She remembered her own mother telling her many years ago that children were like sponges that soaked up every ounce of information, from personalities to language to the atmosphere in any room they were in and Catherine had shrugged off these wise words, certain that she didn't need her mother's help or advice. This was her child and without Eddie, she was raising her alone, so any choices that needed to be made would be hers. And Catherine had to be honest, it hadn't been easy raising Lindsay as a single parent. As she looked over at her daughter's aggravated face, Catherine wondered what her daughter would be like had the calm, positive nature of Nick been involved in Lindsay's life from the off.

CATHERINE: …look, we're still here. I'm still your Mom. He's still your Dad. Your still our daughter. You've just got to understand that me and Nick having a relationship is not possible. If our boss found out, we would get in serious trouble. I would get suspended, it would go on our records, we would be put on opposite shifts…

Lindsay watched as her mother's face fell further. She hadn't realised how much trouble her parents would get in if they were to further any relationship together.

CATHERINE: …we would rather see each other everyday then not at all…it's just more trouble than it's worth Linds…

Lindsay's face softened as she began to understand her mother's trouble at work. She knew Catherine was lonely, and it wasn't right for her to stand in the way of potential company, so with a deep breath she pursued the conversation further:

LINDSAY: So this guy-

Catherine's stomach lurched as Lindsay paused in anticipation for Vartann's name. The fact that Lindsay was still in the room and was about to ask questions about him was a small glimmer of hope for Catherine that her daughter _may_ be willing to accept this new encounter of hers.

CATHERINE: Lou…

LINDSAY: This guy Lou…are you going to see him again?

Catherine hesitated. She couldn't say anything more to hurt Lindsay. She'd already created an emotional wound. So with a heavy sigh she nodded:

CATHERINE: At the end of the week.

Lindsay raised her eyes in disbelief, amazed that things were going so quickly. In the space of days she had discovered that a man her mother worked with was in fact her father, that despite feeling the same way towards each other neither of her parents were brave enough to pursue a relationship together and to top it off, her mother had moved on at an incredible pace and agreed to go on a second date with someone Lindsay didn't know. Catherine looked nervously at her daughter as Lindsay brought her phone out of her pocket and flicked through it:

CATHERINE: Please don't tell your Dad.

Lindsay paused and looked up from her phone, shooting her mother an aggravated look. She hadn't even dreamt of shredding Nick to pieces with a drop of third-hand information. It was her mother's responsibility to tell him, not hers. Her finger hesitated over the option to call Katie. Right now, she was the only person she could speak to about the recent revelation.

LINDSAY: Will you tell him?

Catherine wasn't entirely sure what answer she was meant to give. She really didn't want to tell Nick, but she was currently on track for an unbreakable promise with her daughter which meant she would have to tell him at some point. So with a slow nod, Catherine watched in relief as Lindsay put her phone back in her pocket:

LINDSAY: Alright. But you've got to do it soon.

Catherine's stomach dropped as she watched her daughter slouch out of the room without another word. This really was turning out to be a horrible end to a bizarre day.


	11. The Elevator

Nick stepped through the security gate with a sigh. It wasn't as though he was unaccustomed to the thorough security checks that he had to go through at the beginning of every shift, after all he'd been in his job for over twenty years. But the knowledge that he was in for a long evening in the presence of someone who he wasn't overly sure he could spend more than five minutes with felt unbearable to Nick. He nodded in acknowledgment at the receptionist as she handed him his identity badge before turning to make his way over to the elevator. As he pressed the 'up' button patiently he couldn't help but get the feeling that someone was watching him. The elevator chimed and Nick shrugged off the feeling as he stepped into the familiar metal coffin that would send him up forty floors at a painfully slow pace that would give him more than enough time to think. Time that he _really_ didn't need.

He jumped as a familiar voice called out to him closely followed by a familiar handbag that thrust itself between the closing doors of the lift. Nick's stomach twisted as he saw a flustered looking Catherine step into the lift with a nervous smile on her face. The two colleagues stood beside each other in awkward silence as they listened to the whirring of the lift that crept past each floor. From the moment Nick had caught her eye, and inhaled the sweet smell of her vanilla perfume, the memories from the previous morning came flooding back to him.

_LINDSAY: So I'm just biding my time, saving up as much money as possible…_

_NICK: …In the hope that you might be able to go travelling?_

_Nick looked over at the young woman that sat opposite him in the cafe, her long strawberry blonde hair flowing past her shoulders as she scrunched up her face, somewhat unsure by the presumption:_

_LINDSAY: Erm…I cant see Mom going a bundle on the idea of me trekking around the world, can you?_

_Nick smiled, understanding her dubiousness. Catherine was someone who was all for taking risks, making the most of every day and living life to the full. But when Lindsay was involved, Catherine was incredibly protective. Nick could only imagine how bad she would take the news if Lindsay was to pack up her things and announce she was off backpacking across the world._

_NICK: No, you're possibly right. Well as long as you're happy…_

_Lindsay raised her eyebrows with a little smile and interjected quickly:_

_LINDSAY: I am happy._

_NICK: …Then that's all I ask for._

_Lindsay smiled in relief as the questioning about her future subsided. It seemed to be a popular conversation piece amongst most people she met and she was sick of it. So what if she'd rather work full time to earn money rather than land herself in a tonne of debt by going to college? Lindsay didn't know if college was even an option anymore, especially after the poor grades she had acquired in high school. She had excelled in Dramatic Arts, which had been her favourite subject ever since she was a young child, but thanks to her huge interest in boys she had failed to succeed in any other subjects at high school, barely scraping pass marks much to her mother's dismay. With a heavy sigh, Lindsay continued drinking her fourth hot chocolate in the two hours that she'd been in Nick's presence. Not knowing the next time he would see her, Nick watched her intently wanting to soak up every last detail of his daughter. She was so grown up but at the same time there was an essence of venerability about her, as though she would always need looking after. He wasn't sure if this was because it was now his duty as her father to protect her, or because any time Catherine had ever spoken about her, she had always hinted at Lindsay being in need of protection whether it was emotionally or physically. He watched as the young woman looked out of the window at a couple of sale's assistants attempting to put a Christmas display up in a shop window._

_NICK: So, you excited for Christmas?_

_Lindsay couldn't help but furrow her brow at such a random question and turned to shoot her new-found father an amused smile:_

_LINDSAY: Christmas?! But that's like five weeks away…_

_NICK: And?? Come on, the season of good-will…a chance for families to gather together even if they don't necessarily want to…presents…a day of non-stop eating without feeling guilty…_

_Nick watched as his over-excited analysis of Christmas bounced off Lindsay with no effect, her amused smile fading to an embarrassed one and her brow still furrowed:_

_LINDSAY: We don't really celebrate it much. I mean, sure my grandma comes over and the three of us have a nice big dinner that Mom usually spends the day preparing. But we never make a big deal of it, never have._

_Nick couldn't believe what he was hearing. Christmas was one of his favourite times of year. It was one of the only days in which nobody had an excuse to be miserable. Everyone he knew embraced the spirit of Christmas, even Catherine, or so he had thought._

_LINDSAY: Oh you're not about to tell me you've already got your Christmas tree up are you?_

_Nick's mind immediately flew to the image of his Christmas tree that already stood as a centre piece in his living room, branches filled to the brim with decorations, but before he confessed to his premature Christmas organisation he caught Lindsay's screwed up face and shook his head with a smile:_

_NICK: No…no of course not.._

_Lindsay sighed with a smile as she unscrewed her face:_

_LINDSAY: Good, cos that __would__ be sad!_

_Nick looked awkwardly down at his coffee mug, hoping his daughter wouldn't notice that he was lying. But Lindsay didn't know him well enough for that and drained the last drops of her hot chocolate before checking her watch:_

_LINDSAY: Well I'd better pop round to work and help Katie out with the stock-count._

_NICK: Let me walk you there._

_Nick stood up politely as Lindsay put her coat on with a smile. From the moment she had told him where she worked she could sense his concern for her safety. It was only a small restaurant round the corner from the café, that had been left to Katie's father a few months back. He'd offered her and Katie a waiting job at the beginning of the summer and Lindsay had been there ever since. But she knew why Nick was concerned. The area that surrounded the restaurant was renowned for being dangerous and she felt privileged that someone was concerned for her safety, even if it did seem unnecessary:_

_LINDSAY: Alright, I've just got to go to the bathroom…_

_Nick watched as his daughter walked round the side of the bar and through to the bathroom that stood towards the front of the café. His gaze wandered to the front door which chimed as someone entered. His heart lunged as he saw the familiar figure of Catherine stepping into the café, with a relaxed smile on her face as the tall figure of Detective Vartann who stopped close behind her, whispered into her ear and pointed out a booth at the back of the cafe. Nick's stomach plummeted, jealously bubbling up inside him as he noticed Vartann's hand on the small of her back. What was she doing here with __him__?! Nick became aware that he was staring with his mouth agape at his colleagues but needn't have worried about being spotted as Catherine walked over and the small booth at the back of the cafe, sitting with her back to the door. Nick slowly began to move towards the door, keeping his eye on Vartann, half hoping he wouldn't catch his eye, half hoping that he would. He desperately wanted to know what was happening. Why Catherine had agreed to have breakfast with Vartann instead of trying to find out where he was and what he was doing. Nick noted the smug look on Vartann's face as the detective leaned over the bar to grab the waitress' attention, clearly pleased with himself that he had managed to persuade one of the most sought-after woman in the company out for breakfast._

_LINDSAY: Good to go?_

_Nick jumped out of his thoughts to see his daughter's face beaming back at him. He forced a smile, nodded, then opened the door for her to step out of the café. The sooner he got her out of the building the better, he didn't want her hopeful heart to break at the sight of Catherine and Vartann together, just like his had. Nick glanced back over at Catherine but quickly shot out of the door as he watched the strawberry blonde woman nervously look over her shoulder at the space in which he'd once stood._

CATHERINE: So…have you had a good day?

Nick could feel his heart racing as every word she spoke felt like a kick in the shins but he proceeded to be polite, even if it was in a reasonably cold manner.

NICK: Could've been better.

He continued to face forward as he watched, through the closed reflective metal doors of the elevator, Catherine turn to him nervously. He looked down at his feet as he slowly shuffled them, the silence lengthening. Catherine's heart jumped into her mouth. She'd been nervous about talking to him all day, but had never imagined she's be stood alone in a elevator with him, and definitely not before their shift had even started. As the numbers on the elevator gage lit up floor by floor, the two colleagues stood in silence, neither knowing what to say. It was such a contrast to the many previous elevator moments they had had together, which neither had realised until now had usually involved a lot of innocent, flirtatious giggling and teasing. For now, both Catherine and Nick felt as though they were involved in some form of torture.

CATHERINE: Do you want to talk about it?

The sound of her voice cutting the tension like a knife sent a small shiver down Nick's neck and as man-enough that he was, he almost felt like crying. He swallowed loudly but continued his reign of silence. This was difficult for Catherine. She was the type of person who liked to talk about any problems she might be having and knew full well that Nick was the type of person who didn't. But years of experience where Nick was concerned had taught her that he would eventually tell her if she kept talking. She reached out a hand and gently gripped his arm.

CATHERINE: Listen…I need to tell you something Nicky…

She watched as Nick took a deep breath and hesitated before looking down at her hand longingly. She'd never wanted to hurt his feelings but could tell that something was wrong and her stomach fell as she feared the one thing she'd hoped wouldn't happen had happened. That Nick knew before she'd even had a chance to tell him herself.

NICK: I know about you and Vartann…

Catherine's heart rate increased as her deep blue eyes locked with Nick's dark brown. She hated to see him look so disappointed, but most of all she hated to be the result of his misery. To her dismay, Nick couldn't hold her gaze for much longer and returned to his position staring at the elevator doors before pulling away from her grasp:

NICK: …I saw the two of you in the café yesterday.

Catherine felt empty as she brought her hand back to her side but continued to look at Nick, desperate for him to understand:

CATHERINE: I never meant to move on but…Nicky we agreed that nothing could happen. I thought you'd moved on. That the girl you were meeting up with was a new girlfriend…

NICK: It was Lindsay!

CATHERINE: I _know_!!

The conversation fell silent as the couple realised they had raised their voices much louder then they had ever intended to. Catherine brought her hand back to Nick and held his arm reassuringly, her voice much lower:

CATHERINE: I know…I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions.

Tears began to well up in the couple's eyes as they met and Catherine spoke the words that she had been dreading to tell Nick since she had spoken with Lindsay that morning:

CATHERINE: I'm seeing him again Nicky…I'm so sorry.

Nick took a deep shuddering breath as he tried to process the inevitable, having spent most of the day preparing himself for the words that were to leave her lips. That _had_ left her lips. The elevator grinded to a halt and Catherine flung her hand away from Nick as Vartann stepped into the metal crate, nodding politely to it's occupiers before standing between the two. Catherine's heart was racing, praying that Nick wouldn't react too badly at the idea of having to share a lift with her and Vartann, she knew how angry he could get if he was passionate about something. But to her relief Nick remained silent, clearing his throat every now and again while staring intently at the floor numbers, willing them with all his might to move quicker.

Vartann looked from the sad look on Catherine's face as she stared down at her feet, over to the steely look on Nick's. He could tell he'd walked in on an argument, but what the argument was about, he wasn't sure. It could've been regarding a case or a clash of personalities, but due to years of experience in working with the CSI department he knew full well that Catherine and Nick didn't clash. In fact, the two were renowned for working so well together as a team that Vartann had initially shrugged off any notion that Nick was a contender where Catherine was concerned. But having walked in on a heated discussion, where the two had looked so longingly at each other while Catherine held onto Nick's arm almost _lovingly_, Vartann's suspicion began to arise. He looked back over at Catherine who smiled nervously at him, a smile that quickly faded as Nick reached out and pressed the button for the next floor. The tension in the elevator was excruciating and Nick took no time in stepping through the opening doors, more than prepared to take the four flights of stairs to his office, leaving Catherine to watch on hopelessly as the doors closed leaving her and Vartann stood in silence.

* * *

**Well that was awkward... :)  
Hope the update was okaaaay, I really enjoyed writing it and look forward to updating soon!  
Sophie xx **


	12. The Long Three Weeks

Lindsay flounced through the front door of her house, relieved to be home after such a busy shift at work. The lunchtime rush was renowned for being extra busy on a Saturday, but today had seemed a million times worse now that Lindsay had more on her mind. She lazily flung her shoes off her feet, inhaling a deep relaxed breath as her hot feet hit the cool wooden flooring of the hallway. Her tummy rumbled just as she glanced at the grandfather clock that stood beside the stairs and noted that four o'clock was just the right time to have some toast, having missed an opportunity for some lunch earlier that day. Lindsay crept through the living room towards the kitchen that lay the other side of it, being careful not to make too much noise, knowing full well that her mother spent the daytimes catching up on sleep that she'd lost during the night. As Lindsay reached into the cupboard to collect a couple of slices of bread she thought back to a couple of weeks ago. To the evening after her mother had told her that she'd started seeing a new man from work.

_Lindsay yawned widely as stared up at the clock that had been slowly ticking by for the past six hours. It was nearing midnight and to her relief, the restaurant that she worked at had just closed. All that was left to do was to clean down the coffee machine and work surfaces then she would be on her way home. Lindsay smiled at the young brunette she knew to be her friend, who shuffled past her with a heavy crate of full coca cola bottles, ready to fill the fridges that were placed under the bar area._

_KATIE: Just this lots to go Linds then we'll be good to go._

_Lindsay gave her a sleepy smile as she began scrubbing the coffee machine._

_LINDSAY: Thanks again for the lift Katie. It'll save me some money._

_KATIE: You sure you don't want to stay over? It'd make sense as we're both on the morning shift tomorrow.._

_Lindsay continued to smile. Her friend always offered her a place to stay, especially if they were working an early shift the day after a late shift. But Lindsay was a particular person, who relished the freedom of being able to come and go in her own house and make her way to and from work alone. It gave her a sense of independence that she'd always craved as a teenager who belonged to an over-protective mother. _

_LINDSAY: I'll be fine. Honestly._

_Katie put the last of the bottles away then folded up the cardboard wrapper that had encased them safely._

_KATIE: Right then, I'll let Dad know we're done._

_Lindsay watched with a smile as her friend walked through a door that lead to an office out the back, and she placed the cloth in a sink just as the bell above the restaurant door chimed._

_LINDSAY: Oh I'm sorry but we're clo-_

_She stopped mid-sentence as she recognised the man who she'd almost turned away. He looked tired and troubled and she knew exactly why. She watched as Nick hesitated at the door, in two minds as to whether he should leave or not. Lindsay hoped he wouldn't and hastily walked around the bar to meet him. She had been expecting him to turn up, now that he knew where she worked and generally at what time. But as she approached him she noticed there was a sad look in his eye. As though he'd recently received some news. Some bad news. She stopped just before him, fiddling with her fingers as a way of releasing some of her nerves._

_LINDSAY: Hey._

_She watched as he nodded nervously with a forced smile._

_NICK: Hey. I'm sorry to turn up so late I just…_

_LINDSAY: It's fine. Did you want to sit down?_

_She motioned to a nearby booth but Nick held up his hand to decline. She watched as he looked out of the window of the restaurant nervously, as though he was expecting someone to come in and protest his reason for being there. _

_NICK: No, I should actually be at a scene…_

_His sentence faded out and Lindsay had a feeling he was already feeling guilty about skiving work. Work that her mother had no doubt sent him to do. She watched as he shuffled his feet nervously, a hurt look appearing on his face:_

_NICK: Your Mom told me she's started seeing someone. A guy from our work…_

_Lindsay's heart rate increased as she began to feel guilty having not told her Dad anything about her mother's new interest. So much had changed since earlier that morning when she and Nick had been sat in the café round the corner, chatting, giggling, getting to know each other. The idea of he and her mother getting back together seemed such a possibility but now there was nothing. No ounce of hope left. And Lindsay could see in Nick's eyes that he knew that too. He cleared his throat nervously and lowered his voice apologetically._

_NICK: Listen Lindsay, my sister's invited me to stay at hers for a few weeks. It's her son's first birthday and it'd be a good chance for me to meet up with some family that I haven't seen in a long time…_

_Lindsay opened her mouth in shock, hardly able to understand what she was hearing. Why was he going? She'd painted a picture of him in her mind that he was a man that didn't run at the first sign of danger. That he didn't run if a situation got too awkward or too out of hand. Yet here he was, running away for a few weeks just because-_

_LINDSAY: Is this because of Mom?_

_Nick took a deep breath and raised his eyebrows to emphasise his reasoning:_

_NICK: She needs space. Time to think. Time to get adjusted to this new situation we're all in-_

_LINDSAY: Is this her you're talking about or you?_

_Lindsay could feel her frustration begin to bubble but as she watched the man before her hang his head and take a deep breath she realised that he'd actually been referring to both of them. And the longer she watched him the more sense she realised he was speaking. She attempted to imagine what it was like if she was in their shoes. To see each other every day. To have to work together as a team. To have to talk about a lot of work related items when all they really wanted to talk about was each other, about their daughter, about whatever future they may or may not have together. And as Nick looked back up and locked eyes with his daughter, the radio in his pocket pushed a call through the frequency requesting his whereabouts. Lindsay watched her father's face fall as he spoke into the radio, understanding his frustration at having to cut the conversation early. _

_He rolled his eyes as he returned the radio to his pocket and gave her a reassuring smile._

_LINDSAY: When do you leave?_

_NICK: In the morning._

_Lindsay forced a smile, trying to hide the disappointment she felt now that she knew the man who she'd only just got to know was leaving her._

_LINDSAY: And Mom's okay with all this?_

_She watched as the man before her hesitated, his smile dropping to an awkward look:_

_NICK: I'm going to tell her at the end of the shift._

_Lindsay opened her mouth to protest but before she could, Nick held his hands up:_

_NICK: She's got a lot on at work with a huge case that's cropped up. I don't want to distract her halfway through._

_Lindsay closed her mouth, not entirely happy with her father's decision, yet accepting it as a reasonable enough excuse for now. She could already see how badly her mother was going to take this news. Catherine hated finding things out after they'd been planned. She hated surprises. And she hated not knowing. This was why Lindsay had always found it easier just to be honest with her mother, to save time and a lot of earache later on. The radio went off again and Nick sighed heavily:_

_NICK: I wont be gone for long and if you need to talk to me about anything__ just give me a call and I'll answer right away._

_Lindsay paused then raised her eyebrows, smiling slightly at Nick's concern:_

_LINDSAY: Promise?_

_NICK: I promise._

Lindsay remembered that night as though it had been yesterday, just as she remembered the following morning. The morning following Nick's departure. And unsurprisingly, Catherine had entered the house in pieces after a gruelling shift that had ended in her finding out from Ecklie that Nick had gone away for a few weeks with his permission. Three weeks had passed since that day. Three long difficult weeks, in which Lindsay had only sent Nick messages here and there, telling him about how her days had been and asking how his family was. But no phone calls. She was worried that if she called him it would lead to a conversation about how her mother was. And Lindsay hadn't the heart to tell Nick that since he'd been away her mother had finally got a grip of reality and been on three more dates with her mysterious man from work. A mysterious man that Lindsay was yet to meet. A mysterious man that she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to meet.

Lindsay released the toasted bread out of the toaster and shuffled over to the fridge, reaching into it to grab the butter. As she closed the door of the fridge, the sight of a well built middle-aged man with nothing but a pink towel around his waist, caused her to jump. She presumed that this must be the man that her mother was dating, particularly as he raised a hand as a form of hello then pointed at her:

VARTANN: You must be the daughter.

Lindsay scorned, offended that he didn't identify her by name but just as 'the daughter'. In an instant she didn't want to stick around to find out anymore about who he was. Her Dad had told her that he was due back in town tomorrow and she'd hoped to be able to talk to her mother about what was going to happen once he'd returned. Catherine's reaction to Nick leaving wasn't the kind that Lindsay had hoped for. She'd hoped that her mother would have spent the whole three weeks crying for him, wanting him back, despite being the type to hide all emotions. But Catherine had barely mentioned him. Now Lindsay was left staring in horror at the half naked man before her. She watched as he hesitated then made for the kettle that stood beside her, clearly just as nervous about this first meeting.

VARTANN: You want a coffee?

Lindsay had no idea what to do but to walk out of the room. And walk she did. Fast. Not caring about keeping quiet as she knew her mother couldn't be asleep. She walked through the living room and towards the door that she knew would let her out into the hallway where her bag was. But before she reached freedom, Lindsay bumped into the familiar petite figure of her mother, who had ran downstairs in an oversized man's shirt that had an unfamiliar smell to Lindsay. A smell that she was sure was her mother's boyfriend's chosen aftershave. She didn't like it. Catherine's face fell, realising in an instant that her daughter had just met Vartann far sooner than she had wanted them to meet.

CATHERINE: I thought you were at work?

LINDSAY: I finished early…to find a half naked man in my house! Seriously Mom, you really think this is the best way for us to meet?

CATHERINE: Of course not…

Catherine could see why Lindsay was worked up. This had been the last thing either of them had expected. The tension in the house had been high since Nick had left town and both of them had been left to deal with their emotions alone thanks to their opposing shift work. Nick was due back soon, though when specifically, Catherine wasn't sure. All she knew about Nick's time off was written on a post-it that Ecklie had scribble the date of his return to work on. A post-it that she'd stuck to the frame of a photo that she had of Lindsay on her desk at work. A post-it that she'd stared at over and over again, in the hope that Nick might magically reappear the more she concentrated on it. To her relief, her daughter took a deep breath and spoke to her calmly in the echoed hallway:

LINDSAY: Dad's due back in town any day now. You could've at least waited till then before you introduced me to him.

Catherine frowned in confusion, not overly sure what Lindsay meant but her daughter continued:

LINDSAY: It's not fair on Dad if I end up spending more time with your new boyfriend than him.

Catherine took a deep breath, having not realised that Lindsay had been adding up the hours that she'd spent with her new found father. She looked guiltily at her daughter, wanting to comfort her, but she watched as Vartann began to walk through the living room towards them with a shrug, as though he had no idea what to do. Before Catherine could say or do much more, Lindsay had caught him in the corner of her eye and had already made her way towards the front door of the house, shrugging off her mother who had attempted to grab her hand.

CATHERINE: Where are you going?

LINDSAY: Katie's. Let me know when you're done with him yeah?

Lindsay picked up her bag haughtily and stormed out of the house without another look. She knew she was acting irrationally. She knew she was being selfish. But she knew that so long as that man was in her house, she couldn't remain there.

Catherine watched her strawberry blonde daughter pace out of the house, slamming the door behind her. She couldn't understand what had got into her. Why she was being so blunt and rude.

VARTANN: I thought your ex-husband had died?

Catherine froze, surprised by Vartann's sharp memory. It was common knowledge within her work and the outer departments that Eddie had been Lindsay's father. It was also common knowledge that Eddie had died. But it had been so long ago that Catherine hadn't hesitated when Lindsay had mentioned that her father would be back in town. A lack in hesitation that she presumed Vartann had noticed. Catherine turned nervously, preparing herself to tell him the truth, but not the whole truth.


	13. The Grip

Nick wandered along the corridor of his work and paused outside the door. _Her_ door. He knocked lightly three times then stepped over the threshold, closing the door behind him, his heart racing with nerves as he smelt her familiar vanilla scent. He stood motionless as he saw the figure before him sat at her desk purposely looking down at a file in her hands even though he knew she wasn't reading from it. This was the first time in over three weeks that he'd seen her and he couldn't help feeling guilty about how tired she looked. He knew it couldn't have been easy to try and run the department alone. Her hair was pushed back lazily into a bun and Nick took note of how beautiful she looked despite a strand of her fringe lolling beside her tired cheek.

_Nick hesitated as his finger hovered over the doorbell that would alert the members of the household inside of his existence. It had been a long three weeks away from the bustling stresses of work and even though he'd been away he felt no more relaxed than he had done when he left. His family had been a wonderful distraction, but his mother had over-fussed, complaining to him that she wanted more grandchildren. Complaining that he, her youngest son, had yet to marry, settle down and start a family of his own. As tempted as he was to cut the tension with a knife and explain that he did have a daughter, a twenty year old daughter no less, he chose to keep quiet. He knew that if his family found out about Lindsay's existence then they would demand to meet her, which he knew would be daunting for his daughter who had come from such a small-family background into this huge expanse that was the Stokes family. _

_So he'd held his tongue, but it hadn't stopped him thinking about her the whole time he'd been there. How much she would've enjoyed hanging with the family who were so jokey and relaxed in their country ways. There was something about the looks that his siblings gave their partner's when they handed the babies about that made Nick yearn for Catherine's presence. He'd seen what she'd been like any time she'd brought Lindsay into work as an infant. He'd adored seeing her loving face as she wiped baby food from around her daughter's little face. From around __their__ daughter's little face. And even though the time away had been with the intention of forgetting all about Catherine, it had actually made Nick think about her even more. Wondering what it would've been like if they'd been together when Lindsay was born. What it would've been like if they'd brought Lindsay over to see his family._

_Nick heard some movement from the other side of the front door and for a moment his heart leapt, wondering if the strawberry blonde he could see through the hazy glass was Catherine. But as the door opened and let out the air from the perfectly heated house, Nick relaxed to see a huge smile grow on his daughter's face as she realised he was back in town. He opened his arms and returned the smile as she flung herself into his arms and gave him a big squeeze._

_LINDSAY: You're back!_

_NICK: I told you I would be._

_Lindsay stepped back to take in the sight of her father. Still tall, dark and handsome trussed up in a smart black coat that protected him from the winter chill that had suddenly taken Vegas by surprise. A man she hadn't seen in three weeks and she noticed that he was looking well rested, despite a troubled air still surrounding him as he peered behind her and she chose to read his mind:_

_LINDSAY: She's in the kitchen…_

_Nick nodded in acknowledgment of the small detail she'd relayed to him. He began to feel nervous again, not entirely sure if he wanted to see Catherine just yet, or wait until work that night._

_NICK: Well don't disturb her for me…_

_The conversation fell cold and Lindsay wasn't sure how she could liven things up. After all any new conversation starter would surely revolve around her work which would then lead to talk about his work which would then lead to talk about her mother, which she didn't think was such a great idea. But she needn't have worried as Nick took a deep breath and plunged straight into the conversation she'd been dreading:_

_NICK: How's she been?_

_LINDSAY: She's still with that guy if that's what you're wondering?_

_Nick couldn't help but reveal a small smile, rolling his eyes slightly at his apparent transparency. Lindsay smiled too in relief that her Dad's time away had given him the opportunity to come to terms with her Mom's new relationship._

_LINDSAY: She's been okay. Busy. Really busy. She's not had a day off since you left, too heavy a work-load or something.._

_Nick felt a lump in his throat as Lindsay described how the past few weeks had been for the woman that he loved and respected so deeply._

_LINDSAY: …so don't be surprised if she rips your head off when you get into work tonight. She's just over-tired._

Catherine froze, barely focusing on the file she held in her trembling hands as she sat at her desk. She could see him in the corner of her eye as he entered her office without any words. She'd played this scene over and over in her mind in the past three weeks that he'd been away. It had initially been imagined that she would throw everything aside and fling herself into his warm, strong arms never to let him go again. But since that initial imagining she'd caught onto reality and had the scene honed down to her merely asking him why he hadn't told her himself that he needed time off. That he needed space. But now the moment had come Catherine couldn't bring herself to do anything that she'd imagined she _would_ do.

_CATHERINE: Who was that at the door?_

_She stood over a hot stove, stirring ingredients that bubbled away into a homemade stew as Lindsay shuffled back into the kitchen and perched up onto a stool that stood next to the island in the middle of the room._

_LINDSAY: Dad. He's just got back._

_Catherine let go of the wooden spoon with a clash and tried to take in the information that her daughter had just given her. She took a deep breath, trying not to think out loud, and failing:_

_CATHERINE: Oh. He didn't want to come in?_

_LINDSAY: I didn't think you'd want to see him._

_Catherine turned to face her daughter wearing a shocked look on her face. When had she __ever__ given the impression that if Nick came round to the house that she wouldn't want him to come in._

_LINDSAY: Well I can quickly call him and invite him back?_

_CATHERINE: No. No he'll be tired from the drive. I'll see him tonight._

Catherine plucked up the courage to remove the reading glasses from her face and rubbed her aching eyes as she laid her glasses on top of the file which she'd placed back down on her desk. With a deep breath she looked up at Nick, wondering for a moment whether he was actually there or a mere figment of her imagination that had tricked her tired body time and time again over the previous few days. But he remained in the same position that he had done since he'd entered the room, giving Catherine the chance to open the conversation, praying that she wouldn't break down despite having been on the verge of doing so for the past three weeks:

CATHERINE: You left without saying goodbye.

Nick shuffled his feet nervously, his heart dropping as he noticed the tint of hurt in her voice.

NICK: You needed space. We both did.

He knew his explanation hadn't been good enough as he watched the woman before him put her head in her hands and sigh heavily before hastily standing up and collecting the files on her desk, keeping her eyes away from his. He stepped forward quickly, wanting to explain further to try and make her understand but she flinched as he reached out and held her arm gently.

NICK: Please Cath..

Catherine froze as his hand gently gripped her arm and she relaxed slightly, despite the tears in her eyes as she resumed her eyes to lock with his. He was so close to her she could smell his aftershave. A comforting smell that sent a warm shot through her body. But for all the comforting touches that Nick gave her, she still had to get her point across with a shaky voice:

CATHERINE: You knew how busy the department was getting. You know how heavy the workload's been especially now Christmas is coming up. You know how much I need you Nicky.

NICK: I'm sorry…

CATHERINE: Really? Because we've known each other over 20 years and you still couldn't muster the courage to tell me in person that you were going.

Nick released his grip on her arm as he watched Catherine's face fall from a look of frustration to a look of disappointment.

CATHERINE: No, I had to find out from Ecklie, who'd written it on a post-it note and left it on my desk.

He followed her finger as she pointed at a post-it that remained stuck to the frame of a photo of Lindsay. Despite the new relationship that she'd started with Vartann, the knowledge that she had kept a reminder of what date he was returning permanently attached to a photo of their daughter, showed Nick that she still cared for him. He looked back at her apologetically and noticed her hesitation as both adults realised just how close they had got in their heated discussion. Catherine's voice lowered to practically a whisper as she fiddled with the corner of one of the files she'd collected up in her arms:

CATHERINE: I wouldn't have minded so much if you'd called me to let me know before you went. You just…disappeared.

NICK: I know.

CATHERINE: I got sca-

Her conversation was cut off by a firm knocking at the door and both Nick and Catherine hastily stepped away from each other, not wanting to cause much gossip material should someone walk straight in after knocking. But to their relief the potential intruder remained outside. As Nick moved away from the desk and towards the door, Catherine collected up her glasses and put them around her neck before calling out to whoever was outside her office to come in.

CATHERINE: I'm now on my way to sort out the rounds so if you could come back later-

She stopped in her tracks to see Vartann standing in the doorway, a look of confusion on his face as he stared from Nick to Catherine.

VARTANN: I thought he'd gone.

Nick looked nervously over at Catherine, presuming…_hoping_ that she hadn't told Vartann that he was Lindsay's father. He hadn't wanted to make things awkward by sticking around. From what Lindsay had and hadn't told him he presumed that things were going well between Catherine and Vartann, but he'd not seen any evidence yet that proved this theory. He wanted to protect Catherine the best that he could without raising any suspicion but had no idea how. He turned to Vartann with a frosty edge in his voice:

NICK: Well, I'm back and ready start my shift. I'll see you in the break room Cath.

Catherine watched as Nick shot her a reassuring look, despite his tone of voice, then paced out of her office, closing the door behind him. Vartann turned towards her looking for answers but she merely shrugged and made her way towards the door, wanting to officially start her shift too. But Vartann grabbed her arm tightly, uncomfortably, and she winced slightly at the strength of his grip not wanting to get into an argument. Vartann looked at her fiercely, keeping his voice low and forceful:

VARTANN: Are you going to tell me what's going on between you and him?

Catherine tried to ignore his powerful nature. She knew he was tired and irritable, his department had been just as hectic over the past few weeks as hers had been, but there was an ounce of her that was screaming not to make up excuses for his behaviour. Catherine kept her voice equally firm, knowing that it was the only chance she had at getting out of her office in good time:

CATHERINE: There's nothing going on. I was just reminding him that if he took time off without clearing it with me again I'd be forced to suspend him.

This seemed to be the words that Vartann had wanted to hear and he released his grip on her, stepping back apologetically at his jump to conclusions. Catherine raised her eyebrows, wondering if there was anything more he wanted to add, but Vartann remained silent and opened the door, slightly more aggressively then he needed to. Catherine watched as he stormed around the corner towards the elevator that would take him back up to his department and she made her way to the break room, relieved that the grilling was over for now.


	14. The Fireplace

Lindsay gently placed a bookmark in between two pages and slowly closed her book as she let out a large yawn. It had been a busy couple of weeks at work and she was relieved to finally have an opportunity to curl up under her favourite blanket and read a book on her favourite interest, chemistry. But in all honesty she hadn't been reading the words. More staring at the pages and thinking about the day she had had with her boyfriend. Just thinking about him made her smile to herself. They had been together just over a month and Lindsay had been surprised that neither of them had argued yet, a trait that had become familiar to her early on and throughout the previous relationships she had encountered. But not Gregg. He was perfect. So tall and handsome, with a gorgeously goofy grin and laid back personality to match. He could make her laugh more than she'd ever laughed before and when wrapped in his arms she felt safer than anyone had ever made her feel.

Lindsay looked up from the front cover of her book and over at the fire that crackled before her in the living room that she was sat in. It had become the only source of light in the room since the sun had set and Lindsay was grateful for the heat that emanated from deep inside the grand fireplace, particularly as a winter freeze had hit Las Vegas a couple of days previous. She was much like her mother in the sense that neither women liked to feel the cold. A fact that was proved as Lindsay looked to the left of the fireplace, at the figure of her mother who was sat on the floor, her back against an armchair beside the fire, with her legs crossed and her glasses on the tip of her nose. Despite the strong heat, Catherine was still trussed up in a jumper with a blanket around her shoulders, as she opened seasonal greeting cards that had been sent to the house by friends and family alike

Over the years this sight had become traditional to Lindsay. Her mother always spent Christmas Eve opening the stack of cards that both women had purposely been keeping aside to open in one go. To be fair it was the only moment of calm that they had together in the whole year and Lindsay couldn't help but smile a relaxed smile as she watched her mother furrow her brow in an attempt to read somebody's handwriting. For all the times her mother had let her down in one way or another, whether it was forgetting to pick her up, or missing a recital here and there back in her school days, or leaving her at her grandma's for days on end, Lindsay remained certain that Catherine was still the best mother anyone could ever have. She knew that no matter what her mother would always love her and have her best interest at heart in any decision that was made. Lindsay only hoped that one day she could be as good a mother to her own children as her mother was to her.

CATHERINE: You okay honey?

Lindsay snapped out of her thoughts and realised that her mother was looking at her curiously, her glasses balanced on top of her head.

LINDSAY: I'm fine…you all done with the cards?

Catherine mustered a small smile, nodding before letting out a loud yawn without realising. It was weird to think that she didn't need to be at work tonight after being so used to working constantly without a day off for the past several weeks. Now she had two days off and no idea what she was going to do with herself. She brought a hand up to her eyes and rubbed them. Lindsay felt her phone go off in her pocket and held the device up as she read the message that had been sent through to her. Catherine looked suspiciously as a large smile grew on her daughter's face and she could only presume that it was from the mysterious man her daughter was still dating. With one glance at the clock that hung above the fireplace, Catherine felt a wave of tiredness wash over her body in one large swoop, the realisation of how late it was hitting her hard. She slowly stood up in unison with her daughter, who had placed her phone back in her pocket and had begun folding her blanket up, and began putting the fire out.

LINDSAY: What time is Grandma over in the morning?

The light in the room dimmed as Catherine put out the fire and Lindsay stumbled over to a lamp that was on the table near the sofa she'd been sat on.

CATHERINE: Around 10-ish she said.

Lindsay switched the lamp on which lit a part of the large living room, and yawned slightly as her mother slowly made her way over to her, mirroring a yawn, with a pile of cards in one of her hands:

CATHERINE: I'm gonna head up the hill. See you in the morning?

Lindsay looked over at her mother with a smile and gratefully accepted the large warm cuddle she was given.

LINDSAY: Of course. Night mom.

She watched as her mother shot her a sleepy smile before leaving the living room and heading slowly up the stairs. Lindsay waited until she heard the notable sound of her mother's bedroom door closing before she quickly darted out of the room and towards the front door. She unlocked it quietly, her heart beating fast hoping to not raise any suspicion within the house, then opened up the large front door to let the chilly winter night breeze in. But Lindsay didn't care, because Nick stood before her, his usual large winter jacket buttoned up as far as it could go, the collar upturned in the hope it might fend the cold away from his ears.

NICK: Hey, sorry it's late.

Lindsay shook her head with a smile, dismissing the apology. She opened the door wider and motioned for him to come in but he held a gloved hand up whilst cautiously looking around the young woman, who spoke in a hushed voice.

LINDSAY: She's gone to bed.

Nick looked at the determined expression on his daughter's face and sighed slightly with a small smile, before stepping over the threshold and through a wall of heat that had been a defining point between inside and out. Nick's voice lowered as he didn't want to make any attempt in disturbing Catherine. The past couple of weeks since the return from his spontaneous trip to his sister's had been difficult. Difficult at work. Difficult outside of work. Difficult mostly because the caseload in the department had skyrocketed, which meant that Nick had had to spend more hours on his own sorting the overhaul of paperwork that had been left with a note in his office from Catherine. He hadn't really seen much of her over the past couple of weeks, the two had barely been on the same floor let alone the same room, their only method of contact being in the form of notes left on the other's desk to tell them about one case or another. Neither had spoken or called the other on a shift or after, setting up a perfectly awkward situation between the two of them. So awkward that Nick wasn't sure how he was going to react to being alone with her again once the case-rush had ended.

NICK: I just popped round to give you this.

A huge smile spread onto Lindsay's face as she reached out and took a large red gift bag that Nick had held up to her. She peered in to see it's contents, thrilled to see several wrapped presents inside. Nick couldn't help but smile at his daughter's eager face as she looked up at him.

NICK: Now you've got something to put under your Christmas tree.

Lindsay's smile faded to an awkward expression:

LINDSAY: We erm…we don't have a tree.

Nick couldn't believe his ears as he couldn't help his mouth opening slightly in shock. How could she not have a tree? It was Christmas. Even people he knew who didn't _really_ celebrate this particular holiday had a small tree just so there was something to put the presents under.

NICK: Right…well…I suppose you can put them at the bottom of your bed instead then.

Lindsay nodded with a smile, hardly being able to help glancing down into the bag. She hadn't seen that many presents in a long time and all of a sudden she felt excited. An excitement that she hadn't had for Christmas since she was a little girl. She was overcome with emotion that somebody had thought about her enough to carefully pick out gifts that she might like and Lindsay flung her arms around her father's neck.

LINDSAY: Thank you so much Nick.

NICK: No problem. Merry Christmas Linds.

LINDSAY: Merry Christmas.

The two figures pulled apart and stood in the dim hallway, their smiles apparent as the grandfather clock ticked dutifully near them. Nick didn't particularly want to go but he wasn't willing to run the risk of Catherine discovering that he was in her house. So with a heavy sigh he slowly made his way towards the front door:

NICK: I guess you'll be busy tomorrow so I'll catch up with you later in the week?

He watched as his daughter nodded slowly. As he opened the door and the icy breeze of outside flooded in, Lindsay cleared her throat causing Nick to pause on the doorstep:

LINDSAY: Lou's not gonna be here tomorrow. He's spending Christmas with his kids and ex-wife…which is weird…but…just in case that changes things? …I just thought I'd let you know…

NICK: Thanks Linds. Goodnight.

Nick couldn't help but smile. He nodded gratefully then stepped out onto the snowy path that would lead him away from the house and towards his car. It did change things. It changed everything.


	15. The Snow, a Robin and a Cigarette

Catherine stepped out of the back door of her house, wrapping her coat tighter around her body as it felt exposed in the freezing morning air, her boots crunching satisfyingly on the snowy path that lead to her favourite spot in the garden. As she approached a sheltered bench beside the tree that faced the back of her house, she pulled a cigarette and lighter out of her coat pocket, fumbling to light it thanks to her freezing fingers. After a long grateful drag from the little white stick in her fingers, she closed her eyes and took a deep intake of breath, calmed by the deafeningly quiet morning that was only interrupted every so often by a bird song.

Catherine turned her back on the house and started kicking the snow delicately, deep in thought about her sleepless night.

_Catherine slid into her cool bed and wrapped the duvet tightly around her clothed body, desperate to warm up in the hope that she would be comfortable enough to drift off to sleep. It was cold winter nights like these that made her wish she had someone to curl up to, someone to warm her up. With a calm sigh she closed her eyes and tried to relax, relieved that she finally had the opportunity to get a well rested night. The house became silent except for the sound of Lindsay's footsteps in the hallway, which Catherine presumed meant her daughter was making her way to bed. But to her surprise, she heard the front door unlock and open quietly. Catherine quickly wrenched her eyes open and sat up, holding her breath, desperately listening out in the darkness to hear what her daughter was up to downstairs. She heard the faint noise of a low voice, a man's voice she presumed. Catherine gently pulled herself out of her bed and over to the door of her bedroom that she opened slightly without any noise, to try and find out who her daughter was talking to._

_LINDSAY: She's gone to bed._

_A slight chill rolled down Catherine's spine. Lindsay had purposely waited for her to go to bed before she invited this stranger in. But before Catherine could question who the mystery person was her breath shortened and her heart started to race as she recognised the other voice in question:_

_NICK: I just popped round to give you this._

_Catherine hesitated. Her entire body wanted to run downstairs to see him, but her mind told her that she mustn't disturb any time that her daughter had with him. The past few weeks had been awkward between Catherine and Nick, a fact that Catherine knew all too well. The department had been inundated with cases resulting in the two of them having to work apart on separate caseloads to be certain that all the work could be sorted in time for Christmas. The more time she'd spent away from Nick, the more nervous she was about the idea of seeing him again. Neither had had time to talk face to face about work let alone their personal lives. Catherine had tried her hardest to not become too personally involved in the notes she had left Nick, being sure to write straight-to-the-point information for fear that someone might read the note before Nick had a chance to. That someone being Vartann, who had been keeping a much closer eye on her than she would've liked._

_Catherine took a deep breath, stepped out of her bedroom and along the landing, pausing at a point where she could see the two figures in the hallway by the front door. She watched as Nick handed a large red gift bag to their daughter. She smiled as Lindsay's face lit up with excitement and Catherine realised that she hadn't seen that look in a long time. Not since Lindsay had been a very little girl. She watched as Lindsay hugged Nick tightly before Merry Christmases were wished. It was this small innocent look of excitement that made Catherine so sure that Nick was the perfect father for Lindsay. He could make her so happy with such simple things._

_Catherine watched as Nick moved towards the front door and she felt an urge to lunge down the stairs to ask him to stay. To stay overnight. To spend Christmas day with them like one big happy family. But the reality, she knew, was that they weren't a family and never had been._

_NICK: I guess you'll be busy tomorrow so I'll catch up with you later in the week?_

_Catherine closed her eyes, begging under her breath for Lindsay to persuade him to stay. She knew that things had been awkward at work. That the idea of being in the same room alone together was nerve wracking. But seeing him in the flesh for the first time in the past few days, even if it was at a distance and without him knowing, made Catherine realise just how much she had missed him. She held her breath as she watched him step over the threshold and back out into the chilly winter night. Her stomach turned at her own inner admission. That without realising, she'd missed everything about him. His presence, his smile, his voice, his smell…_

_LINDSAY: Lou's not gonna be here tomorrow. He's spending Christmas with his kids and ex-wife…which is weird…but…just in case that changes things?…I just thought I'd let you know…_

_Catherine sprung closer to the stairs, desperate to see Nick's reaction to Lindsay's parting news, but before she knew it he'd turned away and begun walking down the snowy path. How had he reacted? Had he seemed happy? Sad? Nonplussed? Catherine sighed silently, shaking her head as she walked back to her bedroom, hearing Lindsay close and lock up the front door._

LILY: Penny for them…

Catherine jumped at the sound of the voice that came from behind her, accidentally dropping the cigarette into the snow. She quickly stooped down to pick it up, desperately wishing it would still be lit, though knowing full well that it was now useless to her. She turned to see the figure of her mother standing a couple of feet away, wrapped up in a big fake-furry coat and wearing a small smile on her face.

LILY: Those are bad for you, you know.

Catherine rolled her eyes. Her smoking habit came and went depending on her current circumstance. She'd once been a very heavy smoker back in her exotic dancing days, when chain smoking was popular and the best way to socialise. She'd slowly cut down after she began training to be a lab tech for the CSI department, but not long after her promotion to a CSI the stress of her rocky marriage helped fuel her nicotine addiction again. The nine months in which she had been pregnant with Lindsay was the only time that she'd steered clear of any cigarettes, but she quickly turned to them once her daughter had been born, grateful for the refuge they seemed to grant her every now and again. It wasn't until later, when a five year old Lindsay complained that she didn't like the smell, that Catherine aimed to stop smoking with patches and gum to help with the nicotine addiction. Now, fifteen years later, Catherine had been reasonably successful in her aim, resulting in her only having one cigarette when she woke up, one cigarette before she went to work, and one cigarette before she went to bed. But despite knowing all this, her mother still persisted to nag her about how bad it was for her health.

CATHERINE: Merry Christmas Mom.

LILY: Merry Christmas darling.

Both women hugged then quickly wrapped their respective coats tighter around themselves, folding their arms. Lily watched as her daughter let out a large yawn and she couldn't help but notice just how tired she looked. It wasn't unknown for Catherine to look as though she juggled too much work with not enough sleep, but Lily noted the heavy bags under her daughter's eyes mixed with an almost troubled look on her face.

LILY: How are you keeping?

Catherine forced a tired smile, enjoying the bit of attention which didn't come often enough. Not many people ever asked her how she was:

CATHERINE: Oh you know…hanging in there.

Lily continued to look at her daughter in concern, waiting for her to elaborate but Catherine remained silent, looking away from her mother, distracted by a robin that had flown down onto the ground beside them. Catherine's face relaxed into a small smile as she watched the bird hop towards them cautiously. She hadn't seen a robin this close in so many years. When Lindsay had been young and visited her at work during the Christmas holidays. It had been the first time that Lindsay had spent the whole day in the department and, thanks to a suggestion from Nick, Catherine had taken her to a small stand on the corner of a park that was opposite her work to buy a bag of hot chestnuts. They'd sat on a bench beside the stall and an inquisitive young robin had approached them, resulting in Lindsay throwing most of the chestnuts on the ground for the bird to peck away at. Catherine smiled to herself as she remembered Lindsay running up to Nick excitably telling him that they'd seen a robin up close and it had shared her chestnuts with her.

LILY: That look…I know that look…

Catherine looked back over to her mother, furrowing her brow slightly, wanting answers and Lily continued with a big smile on her face:

LILY: …I don't suppose this has anything to do with your new man, Lou?

Lily raised her eyebrows expecting to see an embarrassed look appear on her daughter's face, but Catherine's stomach plummeted. She purposely hadn't mentioned anything about Vartann to her mother, purely because there wasn't really much to say. He was someone that she had started seeing, someone who she enjoyed talking to and spending time with when she wasn't too tired. But not someone who needed to be introduced to the rest of her family, whether it was in person or by word of mouth.

CATHERINE: Wha…_how_ do you know about-

LILY: -Lindsay mentioned him.

Catherine felt the blood drain from her face as the words left her mother's mouth. Lindsay had been speaking to Lily about her love life. If something as un-serious as Vartann had come up in conversation then the chances of a conversation about Nick seemed likely. She hadn't mentioned anything about the recent paternal revelation to Lily, partly because she'd been so busy at work, partly because she'd given her mother a tough time regarding the reveal of her own father and partly because she didn't want Lily to disapprove in the romantic encounter that Catherine and Nick had once shared.

LILY: Speaking of Lindsay, is she okay?

Catherine hesitated, wondering whether her mother was using a new technique to find out any more information about this looming revelation.

LILY: It's just, she let me in and I've spoken to her and…well, I cant help but notice that she doesn't _quite _seem herself.

Catherine shrugged nonplussed. She hadn't noticed anything different about her daughter, then again she hadn't even realised her daughter was awake. It was of course after 10am but not only had Catherine been busy bustling around in the kitchen since the early hours of that morning having given up on any hope of sleep, it also wasn't unusual for Lindsay to sleep in until early afternoon especially if she didn't have to go to work that day. So it was impossible for Catherine to pinpoint any apparent difference in her daughter today if she hadn't seen her yet.

CATHERINE: She's probably just tired, she's been working some funny shifts at the restaurant recently, we both know what inconsistent hours can do to a woman.

Catherine began to slowly walk up the path back towards her house, her arms folded to try and keep the warmth of her coat in, but as Lily followed behind she couldn't believe that her daughter hadn't cottoned on to Lindsay's unusual behaviour. 


	16. The Coffee

Lindsay sat at the island in the middle of the kitchen, slowly stirring a spoon in her hot chocolate while flicking through a magazine as the sound of Christmas music on the radio echoed its way around the room. She heard footsteps at the back door and looked up to see her mother and grandmother appear through the door, letting in the cool winter breeze of Christmas morning as they stepped over the threshold. Both women breathed dramatically to emphasise how cold it was outside and Lindsay let out a smile as she watched the two women take off their outdoor clothing, stamping the snow off their boots onto the mat as they did so.

LINDSAY: Cold outside?

Catherine smiled and raised her eyebrows at her daughter with a little laugh before walking over to a cupboard and taking out two coffee mugs. Lindsay held her breath as her mother walked past her again and towards the instant coffee maker, never liking the smell that clung to Catherine after her morning cigarette. Only ever once in a while did it get too much for her that she had to bring it up in conversation, with the small hope that maybe, just maybe, her mother might give up the habit for good. Lindsay brought her mug of hot chocolate up to her mouth, inhaling the sweet warm scent before sipping it, then screwing up her face at the pain from the boiling liquid on her tongue. She looked up to see her Grandmother looking at her curiously then over to her mother who smiled as she filled up two mugs of instant coffee:

CATHERINE: Eager beaver. You never could wait till it cooled.

Catherine placed the two mugs on the surface of the island and sat on the stool opposite one, her mother sitting on the stool beside her to nurse the other mug of coffee. Catherine looked over at her daughter as she resumed her position looking at the magazine. What had her mother meant about her daughter not _seeming herself_? Her face seemed much more tired than it had ever done before, but Catherine put this down to the stresses of work. From what she had heard there were no stresses in Lindsay's love life and Lindsay's relationship with Nick seemed to be going well. Catherine's heart skipped a beat as she thought about him again, as she thought about last night again. About what Lindsay had said to reassure her father "_She's gone to bed". _Had Lindsay become worried about her mother and father being in the same room together? No doubt she had heard from Nick about any awkwardness that had been going on between the two of them at work. And an added complication in the form of Vartann, Catherine presumed, had just made things even more stressful for Lindsay. Catherine's heart sank as she looked at her daughter who rubbed her eyes sleepily with a tired hand. She had inadvertently been the catalyst of her daughter's stress. Her mother had been right, Lindsay didn't seem her usual bubbly self, and it was all because of her.

Suddenly the doorbell rang and Lindsay began to shuffle off her seat, knowing that not only was she obliged to answer thanks to her nearer position to the door, she also knew that her mother rarely had much opportunity to chat to her grandmother alone, so now was the perfect time. Lily watched as her granddaughter shuffled out of the kitchen, through the living room and out of sight, into the hallway. Using this time wisely she nudged her daughter's arm and once she caught Catherine's blue eyes, she smiled teasingly knowing that a soft approach was the best way to get information out of her daughter:

LILY: So…what's Lou like then? Tall, dark and handsome?

Lily was curious to know, especially as the only real information she had got from Lindsay about the mystery man was that he seemed _"similar to Eddie",_ which concerned her. She remembered how Eddie had treated her daughter. How controlling he had been which had always been fuelled by the amount of alcohol he consumed. Her daughter had been miserable throughout the marriage, with her only light being Lindsay and the knowledge that the more time she spent at work, the less time she had to spend with Eddie. Catherine rolled her eyes again at her mother's nosey nature but before she could comment her attention was drawn to the door of the living room that flung wide open. Following the motion, the undeniable figure of Nick entered lugging behind him a huge Christmas tree, and behind that was Lindsay dragging a large black bag and a medium, smarter white bag, with a beaming smile on her face. No one was more surprised at this sudden moment than Lily who looked in amazement from the living room over to her daughter, who had started to slowly stand up from her seat and walk over to the living room with a smile on her face. Lily followed Catherine and stopped beside her at the door between the kitchen and living room watching the action. Lily had met him on several occasions before when she had visited her daughter at work. She knew him to be Nick, a kind, polite and _very_ handsome man who worked alongside Catherine. She had once teased Catherine about him a long time ago, teasing which her daughter had categorically dismissed, seemingly appalled that her mother would suggest such a thing when Nick was a good eight years _younger_ than her. But from the look on her daughter's face, Lily was finding it hard to disbelieve her initial joke.

Catherine stood motionless, her whole body feeling numb as she watched Nick place the huge tree beside the grand fireplace. They were finally in the same room together after so many days apart, and Catherine didn't feel as nervous as she feared she would do. Then again, it was such a surprise to see him here in her house that she didn't really have much time to let any nerves register.

Nick could feel her eyes on him as he steadied the large tree. He paused, not wanting to turn and look at her too quickly in case his inner eagerness at finally being in the same room as her showed. He slowly turned and had to catch his breath as he finally clasped eyes on the strawberry blonde woman before him. He wanted to take in every last detail of her, aware that this was the only time he would see her that day. Her strawberry blonde hair flowing just beneath her shoulders, over a red jumper that was fitted beautifully to her toned body. To most people Catherine looked overtired, but to Nick, through all the states he had seen her in, from tired to frustrated to upset to angry to happier than he'd ever seen her before, she always looked perfect. He spoke in a hush tone, not wanting to sound too excited to be speaking to her, even though his heart felt as though it was about to rip through his coat:

NICK: Hi.

A small smile grew on Catherine's face as the realisation of his presence began to sink in. The time apart had done their relationship good, and the two were finally excited to be together again, like it once used to be.

CATHERINE: Hi.

She couldn't help the goofy smile that was plastered over her face and looked at him in amazement as she realised how much she had missed the man standing before her. His gorgeous dark brown hair, his twinkley dark eyes, his lopsided grin… She imagined the muscled body that lay underneath the thick black coat that he was wearing and shuddered slightly in excitement from the many years she'd spent missing that.

NICK: I hope you don't mind. It's just Lindsay mentioned you didn't have a tree…

CATHERINE: Not at all.

The room fell silent as the couple stood on opposite sides of the room, their eyes locked with mirroring smiles plastered on their faces. Lindsay stood at the door that Nick had just walked through and watched her parents curiously. It was moments like these where she wondered why the two of them put each other through so much misery. They clearly made each other happy and had a good partnership at work, yet Lindsay still had difficulty understanding why they chose to remain apart. She heard her grandma clear her throat loudly, causing her parents to detach themselves from each other's eyes and look embarrassingly from Lily to Lindsay and back again. Lily stood patiently as her daughter turned nervously towards her:

CATHERINE: Er…Mom, you remember Nick?

Lily smiled at the man before her. She remembered him alright, though he wasn't as young as he used to be with a few more wrinkles since the last time she'd seen him a couple of years back.

CATHERINE: Nick…my Mom…

Catherine watched as her mother and Nick shook hands with polite smiles on their faces. One held a lot of questions that the other had answers to but Catherine knew she would have to be the one to answer her mother's questions, not Nick.

LILY: Would you like a coffee Nick?

Nick looked from Lily's intrigued face, to Catherine's nervous smile waiting for a sign to see if it was okay. Catherine merely shrugged with a small nod and Nick's heart leapt at the opportunity to stay:

NICK: Yeah, that sounds good.

Catherine slowly followed her mother back into the kitchen, looking behind her a couple of times to double check that Nick was really there. But each time she looked he remained in the living room, chatting to an excited Lindsay who had begun looking into the big black bag curiously. Catherine stood next to her mother who had begun to sort out the instant coffee maker before shooting her a questioning look. Both women kept their voices low, despite the sound of the radio that would surely drown out any words they spoke.

LILY: Well…?

Catherine shrugged nonchalantly, despite the butterflies in her stomach.

LILY: …Catherine Willows you tell me what's going on here or I'll go and ask him myself-

CATHERINE: -No!

Catherine looked over to the living room and sighed heavily as she watched Nick and Lindsay unravelling tinsel from the big black bag, getting it ready to wrap around the Christmas tree.

CATHERINE: A few weeks ago I…well _Lindsay_…she found out that Eddie wasn't her biological father…

A tiny crash entered Catherine's ears as she heard her mother drop the tea spoon she'd been holding and looked over at her in shock.

LILY: What? So who-

Catherine took a deep breath and moved her gaze from her mother over to the part of the living room where Nick and Lindsay laughed together as they held baubles up to their ears like earrings. Lily followed her daughter's gaze, immediately putting two and two together:

LILY: -oh Catherine.

Catherine closed her eyes as her mother's words rang disappointedly in her ears.

LILY: _Nick_'s Lindsay's father?

Catherine nodded almost absent minded as she watched her daughter and Nick in the other room. Lily finished sorting the instant coffee machine and paused for it to fill up.

LILY: But…when? _How_ did this happen?

Catherine took a deep breath and leant against the work surface, her body suddenly feeling tired:

CATHERINE: Us working together, mixed in with Eddie's violent nature meant that Nick's kind, protective personality was too much for me to ignore…it was a case of the grass being greener, and it was.

Lily couldn't help but smile as her daughter reminisced of the short fling. A fling that Lily was sure could've turned into something much more had Catherine not been married to the horrible man that Eddie was. Lily had never liked him, not from the moment she had met him, right up until she had last seen him at one of Lindsay's nativity plays as a child. Always so moody, conceited, aggressive.. But Nick, now Nick she had liked from the word go. A young, polite, handsome man who she had always envisioned to be a good man for her daughter and, now it seemed, was a good father to her granddaughter:

LILY: And to think how appalled you were when I suggested that you date him on the side of Eddie.

Catherine furrowed her brow as she looked from the living room over to her mother. She couldn't recall a moment in time when Lily had suggested that she and Nick could have something.

LILY: Back when you and Eddie were having problems…

Catherine couldn't help but laugh as she raised her eyebrows at her mother:

CATHERINE: Well that narrows it down slightly, when were we _not_ having problems Mom?

LILY: It was about a month after you and Eddie got married…

And in an instant, Catherine remembered the moment her mother was talking about:

_CATHERINE: Mom what are you doing here?_

_She watched as her mother walked into the break room with a lunchbox in her hand. Lily held it out with a smile and Catherine took it, slightly confused:_

_LILY: I know how it is trying to organise yourself in the early months of marriage and you don't get much time to stop when you're on a shift so I thought I'd sort you out with a little something to keep you going._

_Lily scanned the room, a room that she'd imagine would be so much bigger than it actually was for the amount of people it would need to provide for as a break room. One thing she hadn't anticipated to be in the room was a tall, dark, handsome, young man who stood by the coffee machine pouring out a couple of mugs of coffee. She watched as he moved over to them and handed a mug to Catherine who took it with a grateful smile._

_CATHERINE: Thanks Nick._

_Lily watched as he hesitated and Catherine looked at him with a smile, rolling her eyes slightly with a small sigh:_

_CATHERINE: Mom this is Nick. Nick this is my Mom, Lily._

_Lily held out a hand that was taken gently by Nick's and shaken. She couldn't help but admire his adorable lopsided grin that beamed politely at her._

_NICK: Nice to meet you. Thanks for the hints Catherine, I'll see you in a bit._

_Lily watched as the young man strutted out of the room leaving the two women to look on after him._

_LILY: Well now I see why you work so much._

_Catherine shrugged with a small smile as she continued to look at the handsome figure of Nick walking away from them:_

_CATHERINE: He's new, young and makes a few too many rookie mistakes…he'll soon learn._

_Lily watched as her daughter turned to face her with a curious look:_

_CATHERINE: What?_

_Lily said nothing but raised her eyebrows and nodded towards the direction that Nick had walked off in, a motion that Catherine quickly reacted to with a scrunched up face:_

_CATHERINE: No! No Mom, I've barely been married two months and you're already wondering if I'm having an affair?_

_LILY: You're at work so much I just wondered if he was the reason why you stayed here for so long…_

_CATHERINE: For one thing, I'm married. For another, we work together. And for another thing, he's eight years younger than me Mom! Realistically…just no!_

Catherine pulled a slightly guilty look and couldn't knock her Mom's instinct. It was as though she had been a mind reader. Like she could've predicted the future. She watched her mother gently pour out a fresh mug of coffee and grabbed her arm as she started to move away towards the living room:

CATHERINE: He takes two sugars.

Lily smiled, sliding the mug and sugar bowl towards her daughter, who no doubt knew how to make Nick's coffee just the way he liked it.

LILY: So…you two arent an item then…

She watched as her daughter's smile fell, concentrating on the coffee mug as she stirred in the sugars with a sigh:

CATHERINE: We cant be. We're work colleagues. If our boss found out I could get suspended…and we'd definitely be moved to opposite shifts…we've both agreed we'd rather see each other every day at work and not be in a relationship than be in a relationship and barely see each other full stop.

Lily couldn't help feeling sorry for her daughter. It was clear from both Nick and Catherine's reaction once he had entered the house that both yearned to be with each other. And what more of a perfect situation then to have a child together too? It was clear now that Catherine was trying to distract herself by trying to throw herself into a new relationship, which from the looks of things was only making things worse.

LILY: And Lou? Is he okay with all this? With Nick being Lindsay's Dad?

Catherine tapped the teaspoon on the edge of the mug and placed it on the surface beside the coffee machine before walking past her mother in the direction of the living room:

CATHERINE: He doesn't know, and I don't intend on telling him.

Lily watched as her daughter moved from the kitchen into the living room, smiling as she was greeted by both Nick and Lindsay who showed her how far they had got with decorating the tree. Lily looked at the little family and the more she watched, the more she realised tiny similarities between Nick and Lindsay. She watched as Catherine reached out a hand ready to lightly stroke Nick's back as she placed his coffee on the floor beside him, but pulled her hand away at the last minute and Lily knew this was Catherine trying to be faithful to her boyfriend. That her daughter didn't want to make any form of advance towards Nick, knowing that once she started she would find it difficult to stop.


	17. The Small Leather Book

Lily stood dutifully in the kitchen, boiling the last of the vegetables whilst looking over her shoulder every now and again at the scene in the living room of her daughter, granddaughter and Nick strategically attempting to place a star at the top of the finally finished Christmas tree. She smiled to herself as she remembered Catherine's same rhetorical questions every year "_Who needs a tree? It takes forever to put up and forever to take down and for what?_" but as Lily looked on, the answer to those questions stood right before her. Lindsay was holding the ornamental star, being held up by Nick, whilst Catherine stood beside them giving instructions. All three had huge smiles on their faces as the star was successfully placed on top of the tree and they cheered as Lindsay was lowered back to the floor. Lily had to admit that her daughter had always looked tired, troubled and defensive, but right now she looked happier than she'd ever looked before with the biggest smile on her face.

Catherine hadn't realised how much fun putting up a Christmas tree would be. She had never had a tree as a child, mainly because the pokey flat that she'd grown up in with her mother would've never withstood a tree of this size and stature. And the fact that her mother's wage could've never covered the cost of a tree wouldn't have mattered as Lily had always remained that there was no point in having a tree if it was only going to be thrown out soon after. She looked at the beaming smile on Lindsay's face realising just how happy the past hour of decorating had made her daughter. Lindsay took a long look at the tree before holding her hand up:

LINDSAY: One minute..

Catherine watched her daughter rush out of the room and up the stairs, before turning back to her original position, her heart racing as she began to realise that she was now in the room with Nick and no one else, for the first time in what had felt like forever. He was no more than a meter away from her and she inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of his aftershave, a smell that always sent excited shivers through her body. She watched as he looked at her, a soft smile fell onto his face and they both shuffled their feet, the space between them feeling like a wall that they desperately wanted to tear down. The tree, the lights, the heat from the blazing fireplace, the snowy scene outside, the sound of the dinner bubbling away from the kitchen, the Christmas music from the radio, to Catherine everything seemed to slowly melt away leaving just Nick stood before her. His tall height was unusual, but down to herself more than anything. She always wore high heels at work to make up for her short stature which had usually meant that when stood in a room with Nick she was only an inch or two shorter than he was. But right now he stood a good few inches taller than her and her sock-laden feet. Looking up into his brown eyes she was reminded of the morning after Lindsay's conception.

_Catherine tenderly slid to the edge of the bed, gripping the mattress gently between her fingers as she felt Nick mirror her action on the other side of the bed. Both had just woken, both had just stared into each other's eyes with a small understanding smile, both had just confessed it could never happen again. Catherine inhaled deeply, taking in Nick's scent, a warm comforting feeling rushing over her body, despite the knowledge that she had just cheated on her husband with him. She bent down and picked up her bra and panties that had been recklessly thrown to the floor the night before. She slowly started putting her underwear on and could hear Nick putting his jeans on behind her. She closed her eyes, images of the previous night flashing in her memory every now and again. As she opened them she looked up to see Nick standing before her with his hand held out, a soft smile on his face. Catherine took it gratefully and stood up, feeling Nick's strong arms clasp around her naked waist as a head rush took over her body. Her hands gently gripped his shoulders as his arms hesitated around her body, the two enjoying the thrill of his naked torso against her bra and bare stomach. Despite the height difference they still managed to look into each other's eyes, a small hint of sadness apparent as they realised all that they ever wanted was in their arms in that moment. Catherine watched as Nick bent down, placing his forehead against hers, their noses touching, and both took a heavy sigh before she spoke in a sad whisper:_

_CATHERINE: I have to go. _

_NICK: Stay._

_His quiet words made her heart melt, knowing that she wanted nothing more than to stay. But the longer she spent at his, the longer she would need to explain to her husband why she'd not come home. Catherine leaned further towards Nick and their lips met briefly, perfectly, neither wanting to pull apart. Their motion was interrupted by Catherine's pager that bleeped from her jeans pocket by the door of the room, their lips separated with a sigh and tears formed in Catherine's eyes as they met Nick's. She pulled her hands down from his shoulders, keeping her fingers in contact with his arms until her left hand gripped his right hand. _

_CATHERINE: I'll see you tonight at work._

_She began to move away towards the door, their hands reluctantly pulling apart, and she regretfully stooped down to pick up her jeans and t-shirt before looking back sadly at Nick, vowing to hold this last image of him in her mind forever._

LINDSAY: Here we are.

Catherine snapped out of her perfect memory and followed Nick's gaze over to Lindsay who had come back downstairs with a handful of Christmas gift bags. She felt somewhat disappointed that she was no longer alone with Nick, but knew that it was probably for the best. She didn't want to find herself making unnecessary advances towards Nick, advances that she knew she would use if given the chance, advances that would get her into a lot of trouble if Vartann ever found out. Catherine cleared her throat and stepped away from Nick as their daughter placed the gift bags under the newly decorated Christmas tree. She looked over at her mother who had approached the doors that divided the living room from the kitchen. Lily raised her eyebrows at her with a smile, a smile that slowly faded as Nick stooped down and picked up his coat and the smart white bag that had been beside it:

NICK: Well I think I've intruded your day for long enough.

Lindsay hesitated, trying to process what her father had just said. He was leaving now? She had anticipated him spending the whole day with them. She thought that was what he had wanted:

LINDSAY: But, you've only been here an hour!

Catherine watched hopelessly as Nick started putting his coat on, all the words she wanted to say to him stuck in her throat. Despite the huge impulse to run up to him, to hug him, to plead softly in his ear to stay, her feet remained firmly rooted to the ground. She hadn't expected him to leave so soon, especially when there was an opportunity to spend time with her and Lindsay for a whole day. But maybe that was just it, maybe he _didn't_ want to spend the whole day with her. Perhaps the time apart had meant that he'd thought about what a waste of time it had been chasing her for so long. Perhaps he had moved on. Her heart sank as she realised her excitement and desperation to spend some time with him might not be reciprocated by Nick like she'd once thought. She watched him button up his coat then sigh sadly as he looked over at their upset daughter:

NICK: Linds, you don't get to spend much time with your Mom and Grandma, I don't want you to waste all your time on me. I don't want to be selfish.

Catherine watched as the words didn't match the sad look on his face. Her breath shortened as he caught her eyes, his look mirroring the look he had given her that morning twenty one years ago. For a moment the room fell silent, only the sound of the fire and radio remained, as all eyes turned to Nick who looked apologetically at Lindsay:

NICK: I'll see you really soon Linds, I promise.

Lindsay stepped over to her father, reluctantly accepting his imminent departure with a huge hug. She couldn't understand why her mother wasn't stepping in, why she wasn't telling Nick that he _could_ stay as it was so apparent that he wanted to. She pulled away from him and watched as Lily stepped forward to say goodbye with a brief handshake:

LILY: Lovely to see you again Nick.

NICK: Likewise Lily.

Lily stepped back to stand beside Lindsay, both women not entirely sure what was going to happen next. Catherine stood motionless, her chest moved quickly up and down as her breathing increased with nerves. Nick stepped forward, ignoring the desperate impulse he had to scoop her up in his arms, and held a hand out instead. Catherine looked down at it, aware that neither of them had shook each other's hand as a form of greeting or farewell since the moment they had first met when he had joined the CSI department. She gently took his warm hand in her small cold poorly circulated hand and looked into his eyes as he forced a smile:

NICK: I'll see you tomorrow night at work.

Catherine opened her mouth to speak but all words were lost so she merely nodded, her lips twitching into a small smile briefly before realising that she and Nick had just let go of each other's hand. She watched him follow Lindsay out of the room, sad at his blunt goodbye.

LILY: Are you really going to let him go?

Catherine looked over at her mother who had approached her, arms folded with a look of surprise on her face and Catherine sighed before raising her eyebrows at her mother matter-of-factly:

CATHERINE: He's the one that wanted to go.

She moved over to the Christmas tree and began untangling a decoration that had been caught up in some tinsel. Lily stared in disbelief at her daughter's stubbornness. A trait she recognised in herself. She knew Catherine had never been someone to wear her heart on her sleeve, but from all that she'd seen today Lily could tell that her daughter still harboured feelings for this man.

LILY: And you want him to go?

Catherine paused her untangling with a sigh, closing her eyes at how much confusion her mixed feelings and responsibilities were giving her. She turned to look at her mother, her voice sank to a whisper:

CATHERINE: Of course not.

Lily shot her daughter a small smile and made her way to the kitchen before turning back briefly:

LILY: So tell him.

A small knock could be heard from the door between the living room and the hallway and Catherine turned to see Nick step slowly through the door, a nervous look on his face as he looked from Lily to Catherine. Catherine turned to her mother who shot her a reassuring smile before walking into the kitchen, closing the doors behind her. Catherine looked up at Nick questioningly, her heart pounding at the thought of her imminent words. He stood no further than a metre away from her and pulled from his coat pocket a small gift box:

NICK: I almost forgot.

Nick looked at the woman before him and couldn't help the small smile that crept across his face as he looked at her surprised expression and held the small box out to her. For all the years that he'd known her. For all the years that he'd loved her, he'd always wanted to give her a proper present at Christmas. For too many years had he pulled her name out of the Secret Santa hat at work with a $15 price limit. For too many years had he longed to get her something worthwhile and for too many years had he been forced to cave to the price limit, having to resort to buying her a new scarf or new pair of gloves. He watched with baited breath as she took the small gift box from his hands and lifted the lid, pulling out a small leather book.

Catherine steadied her breath as she opened the little book, flicking through the pages, astounded at it's contents of small photos, post-its, and writing in different pens.

NICK: It's nothing much. Just some things I've kept and put together in a book.

Catherine couldn't stop the tears welling up in her eyes as she hovered over the last few pages, recognising the notes stuck in that both she and Nick had been giving each other over the past couple of weeks. She looked over at one of the final notes Nick had written to her two evenings ago and left on her desk attached to some case files:

_C,  
__Been a tough night with new evidence into the Bulgar case.  
__Will take a proper look at the case file after you've logged it.  
__Looking forward to everything returning to norm in the new year.  
__Merry Christmas!  
__N._

Catherine looked at Nick's writing underneath the post-it:

_I didn't have the guts to write it in that note as I wasn't sure who'd get hold of it, but when I said I was looking forward to everything returning to norm in the new year, I meant I was looking forward to finally seeing you again. I've missed being with you._

Catherine took a deep shaky breath as she smiled at the importance of the gift. The most precious gift she'd ever received. Something so personal. Something so unique to the two of them. Something that showed her that he'd been feeling everything that she'd been feeling too. She looked up into his eyes and they mirrored each other's smile.

NICK: Merry Christmas Catherine.

Nick gently leaned towards her and kissed her cheek, pausing for a moment as Catherine moved her head round to touch his nose with hers. She gently entwined her left hand in his right and whispered softly to him:

CATHERINE: Stay.

She watched nervously as he brought his head away from hers, looking down at her hand that held to his. Moments like this, where their bodies were so close to each other, where the temptation to throw all problems out of the window and simply give in to each other were the moments between them that they loved and hated all at the same time.

NICK: I don't want to make things complicated by me staying.

CATHERINE: Who said things are going to get complicated?

She looked at him in confusion wondering how things between them could possibly get any more complicated than they already were.

NICK: What if Vartann finds out that I spent the whole day with you on Christmas Day?

Catherine kept her eyes locked with his, shaking her head slightly as she squeezed his hand. As Vartann's girlfriend, she had half expected her boyfriend to demand to spend the day with her. But to her surprise he'd turned around to her three days ago and confessed that he'd planned to see his boys on Christmas Day, which would result in him seeing his ex-wife. She hadn't felt disappointed or unhappy at this plan. He'd recently become a bit too much for her, constantly coming down to her department to see how she was, at times when it _had_ been an inconvenience. And he soon let her know if he'd felt as though she was ignoring him or purposefully being blunt, her mind immediately flicking to her bruised wrist which he often grabbed firmly to vent his frustration. But stood before her now was, in her mind, the perfect man. Nick was tall, dark, handsome, kind, generous, non-violent, protective and someone who she knew would love her until the end of time, no matter what. Why had she been stupid enough to get herself into another relationship, an often violent one, when the man she truly loved deep down stood right in front of her, ready to be given the go ahead for a relationship whenever she was ready. She reached over and placed the book and box on a table beside the tree then resumed her position in front of Nick, keeping her voice low:

CATHERINE: I don't care if he finds out.

Nick watched in surprise as the strawberry blonde before him reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. He happily wrapped his arms around her waist, inhaling her vanilla scent. He hadn't realised how much he'd missed her until now. It had been over five weeks since they'd hugged in the café the morning that they'd discovered Lindsay's paternity. A hug that had excited them. That had reminded them of what the other meant to themselves.

CATHERINE: But I do care if you leave…

Small shivers ran down Nick's body from the ear that Catherine had whispered into. Leaving was the last thing on his mind right now and they pulled apart both smiling as Nick started to unbutton his coat:

NICK: Well I wont be needing this on them.

Catherine bit her lip as she watched him take his coat off, over the moon that he was staying, relieved that they'd both cleared the air, and excited to know that she was going to spend the rest of the day with him. No work and all play.

* * *

**:) hope you enjoyed the Christmas chapters, things are going to get a bit darker after this chapter..**


	18. The Bandage

Leaning her heavy head to rest on the steering wheel of her car Catherine sighed a sleepy, frustrated sigh as she turned the ignition off. The past couple of days since Christmas day, the past couple of days at work felt like a blur, with only key moments standing out. Personal moments. Moments that were unrelated to the serious case in hand.

_NICK: Hey._

_Catherine looked up from the notepad on her desk, brushing her glasses from the tip of her nose up to the top of her head pushing her fringe back with them, and caught the calm lop-sided grin of the man she'd been thinking about non-stop since the moment he had lugged an enormous Christmas tree into her front room the previous morning. Her heart was racing with excitement and nerves as she watched him lean against the doorframe of her office, neither colleague saying a word but a consistent smile spread across both of their faces. She'd been waiting in anticipation for him to arrive at work for over an hour, attempting to distract her eyes from watching the clock by writing down sturdy questions to ask a suspect in an interview room in a couple of hours. But now her pen held loosely in her sweaty grip as she leant forward in her chair, a word leaving her mouth in an almost airless whisper:_

_CATHERINE: Hey._

_As they continued to smile at each other her mind couldn't help flicking back to the previous day. To the Christmas meal they had shared, sat opposite Lily and Lindsay, like a real family. To the afternoon spent on the sofa, with no worries about snuggling up together while watching made-for-Christmas TV. And to the moment before Nick had left. The moment the two had been longing for. Longing for days, weeks, months, possibly even years. Catherine jumped as she saw Vartann appear from behind Nick, holding a case file up at her and clearing his voice to warn the man in front of him that he was needing to step into the room. Nick obliged, watching Vartann step into the room, before holding a hand up with a small disappointed grin as a way of saying goodbye to Catherine, before walking back into his office._

Catherine grimaced as she slowly took the keys out of the ignition, throwing them into the handbag beside her then holding her left hand up to inspect her wrist closely. The bruise had turned a darker shade of purple since the last time she looked and it wrapped in an almost complete oval around her wrist. She reached into her handbag and pulled out a box. The unfortunate thing about her line of work was that her colleagues were all used to seeing these sorts of injuries…on dead bodies. However, she was sure if one of them spotted it they would immediately know how it was caused.

_CATHERINE: I have to go to work Lou._

_Catherine stepped towards the front door of her boyfriend's house having spent a reasonably wonderful day with him. A day that had just turned sour thanks to a small confession that she felt was necessary when asked how she had spent Christmas Day._

_VARTANN: You can't leave until you explain what you mean when you said that HE'D spent Christmas with you!_

_Catherine winced as her boyfriend wrenched her back towards him, clenching his fist tightly around her left wrist as he forced her to look into his eyes. She could see his chest rising and falling intensely as his anger powered through his body and out around her wrist. She knew she shouldn't have left it so late to tell him. She should have got it over and done with as soon as their shift had ended at work that morning. At least they would've been in public. He wouldn't have laid a finger on her if there had been an audience. The words that left her mouth were unlike her method of talking. They were spoken in an almost pleading way:_

_CATHERINE: Lindsay is his daughter too, he deserved to spend Christmas with her just as much as I did. So he came over for dinner._

_The tingling sensation had disappeared from her fingers, along with all other feeling as his tight grip continued. Her words hadn't been enough, or hadn't been said with enough conviction. She felt the heat rise into her face as she held her head higher and spoke more words, loud and clear. She had to leave:_

_CATHERINE: You did precisely the same thing. You spent Christmas Day with your kids and your Ex. So don't punish me for trying to keep my daughter grounded._

_She exhaled in relief as he thrust her wrist away from his body, and stepped out of the house, relieved that she hadn't mentioned the identity of Lindsay's father. Nor would she dream of ever doing so, for fear of what Vartann would do to Nick if he ever found out._

Catherine tucked the end of the bandage under the wad that she had already wrapped around her wrist and inspected it thoughtfully, pleased to see that the evidence of what had happened less than an hour ago was successfully concealed. She jumped as she heard a tap on her window and looked to her left to see her colleague, Sara, smiling from outside the car.

SARA: Get in a fight?

Catherine stepped out then locked her car and slung her handbag on her shoulder, forcing a small grin in the hope of sending her nosey-but-nice friend and colleague off the scent:

CATHERINE: Not quite, I fell. See this is what happens when you get to my age. Things sprain easily.

She hated lying to the people she cared about, but Catherine knew that things would only get worse with Vartann if he found out she was telling people what he'd been doing to her. She stuffed her hand deep in her coat pocket as she walked through the car park towards the front doors with Sara:

CATHERINE: So, did you have a good few days off?

SARA: Yeah, Gil and I went to his Mom's for Christmas. She does the most amazing stuffing…

Sara had booked a few days over Christmas off work to spend more time with her husband, who was travelling from college to college across the country, conducting lectures for students interested in Forensics, which meant time spent together for the couple was scarce. Catherine was more than willing to let her take the time off, after all not only was Sara a good friend of hers but Sara's husband, Gil, was a close friend of hers too. Well, she'd been willing until a couple of weeks before Sara went, when the case load became heavier and Catherine's stress levels were through the roof. And to Sara's surprise, even though her supervisor had the opportunity of a day off on Christmas day to rest and recuperate, Catherine had looked stressed whilst sat in her car a moment ago. As they stepped through the entrance doors of the building Sara began rummaging in her bag for her id badge.

SARA: How about you? Good Christmas in the end?

Catherine couldn't help the smile that crept on her face as she thought back to the day again, whilst pulling the ID badge that had hung around her neck, over her head. Sara noted the look as she handed her ID badge to the security guard who barely needed to check the ID, having seen them both every day for the past few years since he'd started:

SARA: So you _did_ have a good Christmas!

Catherine couldn't help the giggle that slipped from her lips as she put her ID badge back around her neck.

SARA: Let me guess, Vartann did a huge sweeping gesture and spent the whole day with you, cuddled up by a crackling fire…

Catherine hesitated slightly as she used her right hand to press the button that called the elevator. A month ago that was how she might have imagined this Christmas to have gone. But her perfect picture of Lou had been tainted by his recent jealous behaviour. She just couldn't understand how they had formed a relationship where it was one rule for one and one rule for the other.

CATHERINE: He spent the day with his kids…and their Mom.

She hated the words as they left her lips, and formed her entire focus on the numbers above the elevator as they lit lower and lower, not wanting to see the inevitable look on her colleague's face:

SARA: Oh my god. Catherine…that's _crap_!

Catherine felt a small smile reach the corner of her mouth at Sara's bluntness. Her friend had summed it up perfectly. The idea of her boyfriend spending Christmas day with his ex-wife as apposed to her _was_ crap. But the resulting day was a million times better than she could've ever wished for.

_LINDSAY: Mom this looks amazing!_

_CATHERINE: Well your Grandmother helped._

_Catherine smiled at her daughter's wide eyes as she handed her a plate of trimmings that Nick had just carved off the huge turkey that stood in the middle of the table. Lindsay passed the plate to her grandmother who sat beside her, opposite Catherine and Nick. There was a small hub of excitement as Nick served up the final plate of turkey to himself. Catherine couldn't keep her eyes off him as he sat down in his usual position, with his left elbow on the table to put a fork full of vegetables into his mouth, his right hand down by his side on the edge of the chair he was sitting on. A habit he'd once mentioned to her that he'd had at the dinner table since he was a kid. All four members began tucking into the huge spread that Catherine had provided, and she couldn't help the feeling that her mother's eyes were on the whole family, presumably taking in the sight of a husband/father figure finally being at the table after so many years of an all-female Christmas celebration:_

_LILY: So Nick, do you get to see much of your parents or siblings over Christmas time?_

_Catherine looked over at Nick as he swallowed a mouthful of vegetables, noting the look of surprise on his face. She hadn't considered that Nick may have wanted to spend Christmas Day with his family as opposed to being here._

_NICK: Not usually, they all live in Austin. But I saw them recently._

_Catherine looked away quickly, her heart falling heavily as she thought back to the horrible three weeks she had spent without him. The hard work. The loneliness. The hopelessness. She heard Nick clear his throat, but she distractedly pushed a fork into a piece of turkey on her plate, not entirely sure if she was wanting to hear how much he'd enjoyed his time away._

_NICK: I know where I'd rather be on Christmas Day though._

_A wave of excitement rushed over Catherine as she looked back over at Nick who was shooting Lindsay a small smile. The knowledge that he really wanted to be here, with her and their daughter, meant the world to her. And before she realised what she was doing, she had reached out under the table and secretly enveloped her hand over his. She felt Nick's hand grip hers encouragingly and as he locked eyes with her, she felt like melting into his arms. Like she wanted to stay like this forever._

SARA: So you didn't have any family or friends round then?

CATHERINE: Well my Mom was round for dinner…

Catherine felt nervous about continuing her sentence, pressing the elevator button again, but with the hope of just getting it over and done with she ignored her initial hesitation and finished it, making sure to keep her voice low:

CATHERINE: …and Nick.

Sara turned to look at her colleague quickly. Despite thinking she hadn't heard correctly, the final two words rung in her head. Over a month ago something had happened between her two supervisors, she knew that, but what exactly she hadn't been sure. A few days following and Nick had disappeared on a last minute stretch of holiday to see his family, or so she'd heard. And Catherine's reaction to the sudden departure had been that of a women who had lost the love of her life, moping about getting angry and tense for no real reason, that Sara had been sure that something was going on between her supervisors. Since Nick's return, Sara had seen neither of them in the same department, let alone the same room. She hadn't even thought about the two of them until now.

SARA: Nick?

As the numbers above the elevator dwindled towards the ground floor Catherine took a deep breath, getting ready for the onslaught of questions. There was nothing going on, even if something _had_ gone on years ago…and almost gone on a couple of days ago, it didn't mean that anything _was_.

SARA: But…I thought you said nothing was going on between you two…

CATHERINE: Nothing _is_ going on between us. He just brought round a Christmas tree and he ended up staying for dinner.

Catherine watched as Sara stood beside her, mouth gaped open with a confused expression on her face. She had to admit, the more she spoke the more it was sounding as though she and Nick had been spending a lot of time together for only one reason. She had to save Sara's mind from whirring to the wrong conclusion and revealed a small portion of the reason they had spent Christmas Day together:

CATHERINE: He brought a Christmas tree round for Lindsay… Apparently she'd told him we didn't have one in the house.

SARA: So he brought one to the house. On Christmas Day. For Lindsay…

Catherine nodded whilst taking her cell phone out of her pocket, flicking through messages, pretending to text with the hope that Sara would drop the subject. The elevator pinged and the two women stepped into the metal coffin, ready to be transported up to their department floor. The doors closed, and Sara pressed the button for their floor, the silence apparent apart from the whirr of the machine as it began to progress up the floors.

SARA: So…_has_ anything gone on, you know, between you and Nick…in the past?

The split second it took for Catherine to hesitate and think about her answer as the elevator began to move was a second enough for Sara to realise that she had been right all along. It was the way Nick and Catherine looked at each other, as though they held a secret that nobody else knew but them.

SARA: Oh my god…

Catherine began to panic as the elevator slowed towards the second floor. If Sara breathed a word to _anybody,_ inside the department or out, she would be in serious trouble. She was sure that as long as she and Nick kept their time together during working hours strictly professional there would be no reason for either of them to have a job chat, disciplinary or a shift change.

SARA: So _that's_ why Lindsay's been speaking to him lots? Because you and him are-

CATHERINE: -No!

Catherine hadn't meant to let the opposing word slip from her mouth that quickly. But it had and her friend frowned, curious as to why she had objected to the thought. So if Lindsay hadn't been speaking to him because he was essentially becoming her step-father, then_ why_ were the two in contact? She watched as Catherine gushed desperately:

CATHERINE: Look, it was a long time ago Sara. Please you've got to promise me you wont tell _anybody_…

The elevator pinged as the doors opened and both women held their breath as Nick stepped into the metal container, standing the other side of Catherine with a smile.

NICK: Ladies.

The women said an embarrassed greeting in unison before standing with Nick in awkward silence as the elevator crept excruciatingly slowly up the floors of the building. The silence became too much for Sara who cleared her throat, bringing up something she'd been thinking about for a couple of moments:

SARA: Nick, what were you doing on the second floor?

The other two inhabitants of the elevator jumped at the sound of her voice. Nick, who had been busy looking at Catherine's reflection in the steel doors of the machine, cleared his throat with a small smile and shrugged as he looked over at his brunette colleague:

NICK: I needed to go to the bathroom.

SARA: But the bathroom is on the ground floor…

NICK: Yeah, the ladies one is. But the men's is on the second floor.

He looked from Sara, down to Catherine who looked down at her cell phone as it chimed, a message popping up from Lindsay. Nick craned his neck to discreetly read it, wondering how his daughter was keeping, only to catch his eyes on a bandage that clung around Catherine's hand as she held the phone. He stood silently, as Sara spoke ("Two floors. Ouch") but her words were drowned out by his own thoughts. He'd last seen Catherine no less than twelve hours ago. What had happened in that time that had caused her to bind her hand? Catherine slipped her cell into her pocket, before looking up and noticing Nick's eyes on her. She turned to look at him, her heart falling as she saw the concerned look on his face. He motioned towards the injury quietly:

NICK: What happened to your hand?

Catherine stuffed the bandaged hand back in the pocket, not wanting to draw any attention to it, especially his. At the sound of Nick's word's Sara turned to her right to look at her colleagues. There was an anxious look on his face, as though his concern lied at that moment with Catherine, more than it had done with anyone else in his whole life. She had known Catherine long enough to know that she wasn't one for needing or welcoming attention from anyone, though she wasn't sure if Nick was just _anyone_ to the strawberry blonde. There was a silence but for the whirring of the elevator as Sara felt like an outsider intruding on the couple's moment. She was surprised that Catherine hadn't told him that she didn't want to talk about it (which was her usual response if she really didn't), instead Sara watched as Catherine looked from Nick, to her reflection in the elevator, tears in her eyes as though she wanted to tell him her deepest darkest secrets, but couldn't find the right words.

SARA: She fell.

Catherine hung her head with a sigh, staring down at her feet, knowing full well that, thanks to those two words, Nick knew what had really happened. It had been an excuse she'd used back in the day when Eddie had been abusing her. Not an excuse she'd used on Nick though, but with everyone else. He had been the only one who had known the truth. She heard him clear his voice, possibly with hope that she'd look up at him, but she remained her focus on the ground. He spoke quietly:

NICK: Are you ok?

A small warm sensation rushed over her body as she felt his hand stroke across the top of her back and hesitate on her left shoulder. She brought her head up to look at him, her heart breaking slightly as his eyes told a different story to his tone of voice. He looked hurt, wondering what had happened in more detail. Catherine cleared her throat, but her voice still sounded slightly broken as she whispered reassuringly:

CATHERINE: I'll be fine.

He nodded, removing his hand from her body just as the elevator chimed at their department floor. Nick knew that Catherine would never choose this time to tell him what had happened. They would have to be alone at some point that shift before she would part with that information, he knew her too well. With regret, he watched as she stepped out of the elevator alongside Sara and walked in the direction of her office, with an air of confidence around her - her best form of defence. Nick stepped out of the elevator, knowing he didn't have much of a choice but to follow the strawberry blonde as his office stood directly beside hers. He knew Vartann was responsible for Catherine's injury. She'd been there all before with Eddie. And Nick had been there with her too, to comfort her, to reassure her, to provide the strength she needed to realise that the only way Eddie would stop hurting her was if she left him. He watched as Catherine approached her office door and looked over her shoulder sadly at him. He wanted to tell her that everything was going to be alright, that once they spoke about it then it would work itself out, that he was here for her. But he wasn't sure if the brief concerned grin he gave her would translate all that. She stepped into her office, closing the door behind her, and as he stepped into his own office he hoped that he wouldn't cross paths with Vartann. He wouldn't be held responsible for his actions if he did.

* * *

Sorry for such a delay in updating. A mix of busy times at work, busy times personally and a bit of memory-block. I've got the ideas, its just trying to make it into the right chapter that's the challenge :)

Loving the new season of CSI, nice bit of interaction between CatNip - thanks to the old writers returning it means we get to see more of the characters personal lives like the old seasons.

Come on Nick, declare your love before Catherine leeeeeaves! (*wishful thinking*)


	19. The Hot Coffee

The large table in the center of the Break Room stood littered with papers spread out across it as Catherine stood over them with a furrowed brow, her glasses perched on the edge of her nose as she mulled over the contents thoughtfully. No more than four days after Nick had returned from his three weeks away at his parents, a case had cropped up that had stumped the CSI department somewhat. The body of a twenty two year old woman had been found in a dumpster at the bottom of her driveway, an autopsy had identified the original presumption, that she had died of strangulation. A week later, the body of a twenty year old woman had been found at the bottom of the stairs of her house. Her severe head injury and body position showed that she'd fallen, but upon further observation marks on the wall and banister at the top of the stairs had shown there had been a struggle. The chances that she had been pushed were high. A couple of days before Christmas and the body of a seventeen year old girl had been found on the floor of her living room. An autopsy showed she'd been suffocated, the fibres found in her throat and nose matching that of a cushion which had been disposed of in her kitchen bin. Catherine sighed heavily as she held up a photo that had been taken of the final body. The girl, Suzy, had been so young. Her life had been cut so short. When Catherine had returned to work on Boxing Day she had discovered that the CSI's covering the shift on Christmas Day had found a connection between all three murdered women. A twenty one year old kid, Jamie Young. Catherine closed her eyes in frustration as she remembered back to the previous day, to the smug, cocky look on the young man's face as she spent time interviewing him with the hope that he might shed some light on the murders. That she would come closer to getting another murderer off the street. Especially a murderer who targeted women that reminded her so often of her daughter.

Catherine heard footsteps walking into the room and looked up to see Sara approach her with a smile on her face, holding up two sheets of plastic with a photo printed on each.

SARA: Check this out.

Catherine took the sheets from Sara eagerly, hoping this was good news. She held one sheet up to the light as her colleague continued to explain:

SARA: The shoe print from the scene of vic one…

CATHERINE: …matches the shoe print from the scene of another vic's?

Sara motioned towards the sheet that was held in Catherine's other hand. The strawberry blonde held it up over the other sheet, peering at the contents as relief rushed over her:

CATHERINE: Perfect match.

The two women smiled at each other, knowing how positive it was to receive a new lead in the ever growing complication of the case in hand. Catherine looked over to the door of the break room as Greg rushed in, headphones blasting music from around his neck, his winter coat still wrapped around him despite the shift having technically started over an hour ago and ran over to the coffee machine to pour himself a drink of energy.

CATHERINE: You're late Greg.

GREG: Sorry Catherine, I had to take my girlfriend to the doctors then over to work.

Catherine and Sara glanced at each other quickly with a smile, they knew their colleague was dating someone, after all any gossip around the department always came from the lab techs who had been given small amounts of information about the mystery girl from Greg himself. He was like a little brother to the women, so they relished in the opportunity to ask him all about the special someone in his life.

CATHERINE: …She okay?

Greg gasped as he burnt his tongue on the scolding hot coffee. He wasn't overly keen on the idea of his boss asking him questions about his girlfriend, especially after a conversation he'd had with Lindsay only a few hours ago:

_GREG: Oh I'm so fired!_

_He sat down on the sofa heavily, a small thud sounding even with the soft cushions beneath him. His heart rate had increased dramatically since the words had left his girlfriend's lips a moment ago. He looked to his left, as Lindsay perched beside him nervously, an obviously worried expression plastered all over her face. He didn't want to stress her out, but it had been such a big secret that she'd kept from him for weeks. Catherine was her Mom? He was dating his boss' daughter. He looked at the wall behind the sofa, of professional photos that had been taken of Catherine and Lindsay over the years. How had he not realised? They looked so similar._

_LINDSAY: It might not lead to that. Mom would just need time to adjust to everything.._

_Greg felt his body calm slightly as he felt her small hand rest upon his and he locked eyes with her, the soft look on her face being such a sobering thought. Lindsay was someone he had always been waiting for. Beautiful, kind, considerate, hard working, knew her own mind and wasn't afraid to speak it every now and again, sometimes grumpy but it wouldn't take her long to apologise if she said something out of place. They never found themselves arguing, he had never found a reason to raise his voice and vice versa. To him it seemed as though they were perfect for each other. There were shifts where he was tired, over worked or just needed an opportunity to vent his frustration and to his relief Lindsay was there for him every time. It surprised him how quickly it would take him to relax once he was with her, it only took one of her cuddles or kisses to make him feel better. Lindsay had her fair share of stressful shifts too, and Greg couldn't count the number of times she had called him during his shift as she had just finished hers, relishing in the relief of just being able to talk about how horrible a night she had had even if the call could only last five minutes. He loved to hear her voice, to feel her warm arms around him, to smell her natural vanilla scent mixed every now and again with her fruity perfume, her dazzling white smile and shiny blue eyes. As he looked into her eyes now, he knew that he loved her and that this small matter of working for her mother wasn't a huge obstacle._

_GREG: Yeah, everything's gonna be okay._

_This afternoon was the first time in five weeks that she had actually invited him into her house. He'd driven her to the curb outside tonnes of times before then but he'd recently become suspicious as to why she had never invited him in that he'd chosen to confront her about it. A tiny part of him now wished that he hadn't. He hadn't witnessed first hand the entirety of Catherine's protective side towards Lindsay, but he'd heard the way his boss spoke about her only child on more than one occasion. He knew that Catherine wouldn't welcome him as Lindsay's boyfriend with open arms, not to start with anyway. It wasn't because Catherine didn't know him, after all he had worked with her for over thirteen years. But he was certain that Catherine would have an issue with the huge age gap that stood between himself and her daughter. Lindsay was fourteen years younger than him, a fact that had surprised the two when they'd revealed their ages on their first date, a surprise mostly because both had predicted the other was around their mid-twenties. Since then age had not been a boundary. They still giggled at the same things, referred to similar quotes, sung along to the same tunes on the radio, held similar favourite movie genres.._

_GREG: I'm not gonna mention it to her just yet though._

_LINDSAY: Probably a good job. She seems pretty stressed with work as it is, best not to add anything else to her mind._

_Greg nodded, mirroring his girlfriend's thoughtful grin. It was best just to ride it out, at least for the next couple of weeks. It would soon get to the point where there was no opportunity left to hide and when that moment came the two would need each other for support during Catherine's inevitable blow-up of the situation._

GREG: Yeah everything's great.

He took a long swig of water to cool his tongue down, half hoping that no further questions would be asked. It wouldn't be fair on Lindsay for her mother to find out about the two of them without the opportunity for her to tell Catherine herself. He picked the coffee mug up again and pulled his mp3 player out of his pocket to turn his music off.

SARA: So will you be bringing her in to introduce us to her at some point?

Greg's reaction wasn't quite what the women had expected and to their surprise he choked on his hot coffee, before wiping it off his chin while swearing under his breath. They couldn't believe how jumpy he was. He slammed the mug down in frustration and started to make his way out of the room. He stopped at the door as Catherine called his name just before Nick stepped into the room:

CATHERINE: Greg go with Sara to sort out a warrant for Jamie Young's shoes. We need to find one that matches these prints.

She held the plastic sheets out at her colleague who nervously took them from her, relieved that not only was he seemingly off the hook for being late but the conversation of his girlfriend was over and he followed Sara out of the room leaving Nick and Catherine alone.

NICK: You still on Jamie Young?

Catherine sighed heavily and lifted her glasses onto the top of her head as she rubbed her eyes stressfully:

CATHERINE: I dunno Nicky, there's more to that kid than meets the eye...I just hope that Lindsay _never_ gets involved with a guy like him.

Nick had been focusing on the bandage around her wrist as she'd rubbed her eyes then brought it down to her chest to fiddle with the necklace around her neck thoughtfully. He looked out of the room to see if anyone was about. The corridors appeared to be uninhabited and he took the opportunity to approach her. Reaching out for her bandaged hand that rested on her chest, he kept his eyes locked with hers, his heart rate increasing at the thought of being so intimate with her around the workplace again. To his surprise she didn't flinch or push him away, but took a deep breath as he softly pulled her bandaged hand towards his chest, stroking her fingers with his gently.

NICK: I remember what happened the last time you fell.

Catherine sighed and looked down at her hand, breaking the eye contact. She felt guilty that she'd let things with Vartann get this far, that she'd begun dating another Eddie. She remembered the times when Nick swore he would never let her be abused ever again. That he swore to protect her. And as she connected with his eyes again she knew that he was disappointed that he'd failed to keep his promise. Her cell bleeped and they were swooped back into reality. Nick let go of her hand, but instead of bringing it back to her body she found her hand fall to his arm and let her fingers stroke the fabric of his shirt thoughtfully, wishing they could remain as they were and didn't have to work:

CATHERINE: I'll talk to you after work?

As the words softly left her mouth, Nick felt the urge to wrap his arms around her as a form of comfort like they had done in the old days. But back then the department hadn't been reconstructed so that every room was practically sealed by windows. There had always been more privacy. Since the big refurbishment several years ago, every room in the department now had several windows to encourage a 'lighter positive atmosphere for workers'. So instead Nick just nodded with a small smile and as Catherine pulled her cell out of her pocket he walked out of the room, hoping the shift would go quickly.


	20. The Competition

Vartann slammed a fist against the side of Catherine's car in frustration as she stood beside it, taking her hand away from the handle, trying to muster some courage to continue talking. She'd not wanted to upset him, but she didn't want to continue the rest of her career the way her past shift had just gone. Worried that at each corner she turned he would be there, feeling obliged to continue with the dates and dinners. But from the moment he had first taken his jealousy out on her any romance that had been there had diminished. It was just fortunate that earlier Vartann had walked into the locker room when he had, and not moments prior to that:

_Catherine winced slightly as she peeled the bandage from around her wrist, exhaling heavily as she inspected the impressive bruise that had appeared. She sat on the bench that ran through the middle of the locker room, frustrated with herself that she hadn't put ice on her wrist as soon as she had got into work earlier that evening. It had only been fifteen hours since the dispute with Vartann and already the bruise had began to turn a dark purple, or so she could make out in the dim light of the locker room. To her relief it was the end of her shift, time to find Nick and talk to him like she had suggested earlier, before going home to rest properly. Catherine sighed while beginning to attempt to redress the wrist, thinking of the best opening sentence to give her colleague when she found him. It was difficult for the two to share any alone time at work as they always had a heavy work load within a building that had such few private places. Everyone she had seen in the department that shift had stared at her bandaged wrist every now and again and she had felt uncomfortable each time. But anytime Nick had glanced at it, she'd felt an urge to just blurt everything out, to tell him exactly what had happened and how wrong she was to have wound herself up into another abusive relationship, that she should've embraced the idea of starting a secret relationship with Nick instead and take the risk, that way at least she would be safe and happy and-_

_Catherine's ears pricked up as she heard footsteps stop just inside the door of the locker room, and she noticed the familiar figure of Nick out of the corner of her eye, the sound of his heavy sigh sending a wave of nerves over her body. She couldn't bring herself to look at him, embarrassed that she'd kept things a secret, that she'd not even made an attempt to catch some alone time with him during the shift. She focused her attention on the bandage she attempted to wrap round her wrist as she heard him walk over to his locker that stood directly behind her. The silence in the room was deafening, neither knowing what to say to each other, and Catherine fumbled with frustration at the piece of fabric she willed hopelessly to stay around her wrist. All of a sudden she felt a warm hand smooth its way over her back, making her close her eyes in relief that the tension in the room was slipping away as Nick sat beside her, taking her left hand and unwrapping the failed bandage gently. Catherine looked at the man sat beside her with a small grateful smile on her face, a smile that Nick didn't receive as he remained his concentration on the hand before him. She noticed a hurt look on his face as he inspected the bruise, his fingers tracing over her skin around it and her stomach plummeted as he sighed, shaking his head with frustration. This wasn't the first time Nick had helped her bandage the wounds that had been caused from a violent relationship. Back when she had been with Eddie, she had had cuts and grazes, things she tried to keep covered up, but it had been impossible to keep things from Nick. He knew her well back then, and after twenty years knew her a lot better now. He looked up at her, his teary dark brown eyes locking with her teary bright blue, the two realising just how intimate they were becoming like a few days before:_

_[CATHERINE: You know, you really don't have to leave Nicky._

_She followed Nick out into the hallway of her house, closing the door to the living room quietly. Lindsay had tried her hardest to make him stay a little longer, but his argument had been that he had already been with them for twelve hours. It was late, the snow had begun to fall again and was predicted to get heavier._

_NICK: I know but I need to warm my place up before the storm kicks in._

_No matter how tempting the thought of being snowed in together was, Catherine knew it was impossible to try and persuade him to stay. It had just been so nice to have someone to spend Christmas Day with other than her mother and daughter. She'd enjoyed decorating the tree, serving up dinner and doing the washing up with him like a proper couple. Never had she'd expected to be cuddled up with him on the settee watching late afternoon TV while Lindsay and Lily sat on armchairs either side of them. It had all felt so natural, his arm round her shoulder as she nestled into his chest with her feet curled up underneath her body. It was how Catherine had always imagined the perfect Christmas Day to be like. And now, inevitably, it had all come to an end. Reality was about to sink in and the chances of having a day like that ever again was soon become scarce. She watched as he stood by the front door, taking a deep breath before giving her a smile and she approached him slowly, moving her hands from a folded position down onto her hips. Minute by minute since the moment Nick had stepped through the front door Catherine had struggled to resist the temptation to be affectionate towards him. But such a relaxed day together had made Catherine realise just how perfect Nick was for her. Her heart rate increased as she noticed his breathing increase, their bodies only eight inches away from each other and she looked from his chest into his eyes for the first time since they had sat down together on the sofa._

_NICK: Thanks for a good day._

_A nervous smile appeared on Catherine's face as something above them caught her eye resulting in Nick following her gaze. His heart skipped a beat as he noticed a cluster of mistletoe hanging precautious above their heads, stuck on with sticky tape. He looked down at the sound of Catherine muttering their daughter's name under her breath and smiled as all words caught in his throat. Catherine threw all caution to the wind, willing to take this opportunity to do something she had been dying to do for twenty years. Butterflies raced around in her stomach as she slowly moved towards him, the smell of his aftershave sending her into a trance as she felt her breath becoming just as heavy as his. Her body felt a rush of excitement as he placed his hands on her hips, her hand immediately placing itself on his cheek as their lips gently touched. Both breathed deeply, her arms weaving their way around his neck as his arms wrapped tightly around her waist and lifted her up to his height. Their kiss intensifying the deeper it became as both relished the end to a perfect day._

_Suddenly they pulled their lips apart as something fell onto their heads, the mistletoe landing with a little thud on the floor beside them. Catherine looked back into Nick's eyes as he reluctantly put her down, goofy grins mirrored on both their faces as they realised what they had both done. What was normally just a peck on the lips for most people under mistletoe had been close to a teenage make-out session for the two adults thanks to years of sexual tension and neither regretted it. Catherine shuffled her feet nervously as Nick cleared his throat, buttoning up his jacket:_

_NICK: I…erm…I'd better go._

_Catherine nodded slowly, as her smile faded slightly, wishing that he could stay over night. More for the company than for the fact that they had unearthed feelings they had never intended to succumb to. Nick approached the front door, opening it up to let a huge gust of freezing air into the house. He smiled at her one last time:_

_NICK: I'll see you tomorrow at work._

_He reluctantly turned to leave the house, stepping out onto the snowy porch but to his surprise a warm hand pulled him back. He felt Catherine's lips enclose around his defiantly, the kiss so intense due to the knowledge that they may never have the opportunity to kiss again, before watching her pull away. Nick couldn't help the smile that spread over his face as Catherine brought down the mistletoe that she had held over their heads._

_CATHERINE: Merry Christmas Nicky._

_NICK: Merry Christmas.]_

_Nick began gently wrapping the bandage around Catherine's wrist, the memories from Christmas almost becoming too much for him that he had to focus his concentration on something else for a moment. He liked to look after her, to make sure that she was okay. He knew it wasn't necessarily his job to, but he wanted it to be._

_NICK: So…you fell._

_Catherine sighed heavily, her eyes moving away from his and down to her wrist for a moment. She could never keep anything from him even if she tried, he knew her too well. She'd promised she would talk to him about it, but now the moment had come she struggled to find the right words. It was difficult to accept that she'd been weak._

_CATHERINE: I told Lou about you…_

_Nick paused his bandaging motions, his stomach plummeting. Five simple words had been all it took to set his mind alight with fears and questions. What had she said about him? Was it about how he was related to Lindsay or about the kiss he and Catherine had shared on Christmas Day? Either way it meant Vartann knew that Nick and Catherine had been in some form of a relationship at some point during their career. Which meant that it would take barely any time at all for their boss, Ecklie, to find out. This was it. This was potentially the last shift he would spend with her, because as soon as Ecklie heard any snippet of their private life he would separate them, placing them on opposite shifts. And the very thing the two had feared the most would become a reality, that neither of them would truly see each other properly again, at work or away from. He stared down at her wrist, his heart pounding at the realisation that Catherine had been punished by Vartann because of him. She hadn't invited him over for Christmas, he had just invited himself. None of this was her fault._

_CATHERINE: Nicky?_

_Nick looked up into her concerned face, his stomach still feeling flipped. He felt her right hand, cool and slightly trembling, cup his warm cheek. She seemed worried and for a moment he wondered what his facial expression looked like, it cant have looked too reassuring if she felt the need to hold him the way she did._

_CATHERINE: I didn't mention you by name. I just said that Lindsay's Dad spent Christmas Day with us, that's all._

_She felt Nick exhale in relief, the feel of his breath on her face that was only a few inches from his reminded her of their intimate moment on Christmas Day. Since that night, when she had ran after him mistletoe aloft to steal one last kiss, she had kept herself as composed as possible thanks to a lack of opportunity that the couple had alone together. But sitting together, isolated in the last remaining dark room of the department, her hand caressing his cheek affectionately, reminded her of the old days when Nick used to comfort her. Those alone moments that eventually led, one at a time, towards the inevitable night that was Lindsay's conception._

_CATHERINE: I'll be okay Nicky, I can look after myself._

_Nick paused as he completed strapping her wrist and held her hand affectionately. Her voice had been a low, sad whisper. After Eddie he had hoped he would never have to bandage up another wound on Catherine ever again. He never wanted her to be in pain or in danger and right now she was in both._

_NICK: I know you can. But you don't have to._

_Catherine looked into his eyes. She knew what he was saying, but the thought of breaking up with Vartann was too difficult to comprehend right now. Not only would it make things awkward around work, but she had no idea how badly Vartann would fly off the handle if she told him it was over. Over the past few days all she could think about was that kiss with Nick. How perfect it had felt. As though she had found the other half that made her whole. Even though he was sat right next to her, she missed him. The couple flinched slightly, Catherine pulling her right hand away from Nick's face, as somebody entered the locker room quietly whilst clearing their throat obviously before whispering:_

_SARA: I'd be careful if I were you two, Vartann's right behind me._

_Sara turned to look in her locker just as Vartann strode up to the door of the room, looking relieved to see his girlfriend was still in the building. Nick watched the man before him look down at Catherine's bandaged hand that still lay in his and he reluctantly let it go as she stood up nervously._

_VARTANN: Hey. Can I have a word?_

_Sara looked from the tense look on Vartann's face to Catherine's hesitation beside her. She had walked in on the final remnants of Nick and Catherine's conversation and could sense the worry and anxiety of her supervisor's safety, presumably when she was in the company of the detective stood at the door. The strawberry blonde's current hesitation had confirmed her initial presumption and she looked over at Nick who was staring up at Catherine in an attempt to telepathically tell her that she shouldn't go with Vartann._

_CATHERINE: Well my shift's done so…_

_Catherine knew he had another few hours of work to go as he always started later than her, her hope now was that he wouldn't be able to talk to her now her shift was over. She began to sling her coat on, sensing Nick's frustration by his posture as he stared down at the floor. She knew he wanted to say something, but for now his head was controlling his heart. _

_VARTANN: I can walk you to your car?_

_Catherine smoothed her coat down with a small sigh and nodded with a small shrug and a forced smile. Her heart began to race as Vartann slowly moved away from the room, she supposed that he presumed she would follow him. She brought her hand down to squeeze Nick's shoulder reassuringly, he took it and returned the pressure before standing up himself and keeping his voice low:_

_NICK: Call me if you need me yeah?_

_Catherine smiled gratefully and nodded, squeezing his hand slightly before stepping out of the safety of the locker room, her heart pounding._

VARTANN: This is about Lindsay's Dad, isn't it.

Catherine rolled her eyes, hardly knowing what to say. He'd reacted much better to her suggestion of a break-up than she'd expected. For now he was maintaining his anger and she wondered if he really was as violent as he seemed.

CATHERINE: No Lou, this is about you and me. I cant stay in a relationship like this.

She held out her bandaged wrist to emphasise her point and Vartann looked at it, shaking his head slightly. Catherine knew that keeping him out of the way was a safer option for herself, Lindsay and Nick. There was no physical or emotional threat so long as he was out of their personal lives. Vartann stepped away from the car slightly, motioning towards the hand held out towards him:

VARTANN: I'm guessing Stokes patched that up nicely for you then.

Catherine brought her hand back towards her body, surprised by his accusation. She didn't want to lie, but she became nervous at the thought that Nick was coming up in conversation again:

VARTANN: I walked in on the two of you in the locker room, he was holding your hand…

CATHERINE: It wasn't like we were alone, Sara was there too!

VARTANN: Yeah, not long before I was!

Catherine hadn't meant to sound as defensive as she actually did. All of a sudden she felt like a child, desperate to keep her deepest darkest secret from being accidentally stumbled upon. The look on Vartann's face showed a thought that might have been looming across him for days, possibly even weeks, months maybe:

VARTANN: Have you seen the way he looks at you?

Catherine paused. She hadn't considered that the looks that Nick gave her or vice-versa were ever noticeable to anyone else. She hadn't really noticed them herself until recently, until the revelation of Lindsay. Before then Nick and Catherine had acted the way they had always acted around each other. Sure they were slightly flirtatious every now and again but that was how they were, even without realising. Besides, she'd always liked a bit of male attention every now and again, even if it was by someone she had always considered one of her closest friends.

CATHERINE: Nicky looks at me the way he's always looked at me. Lou, your jealousy is what's driven this relationship to an end!

She had raised her voice slightly louder than she'd intended and her words echoed off the walls of the underground car park. Each word she spoke, she spoke with the truth, and she hoped her determination was helping to end this difficult conversation.

VARTANN: Nicky…Nicky…Nicky… That's all I ever hear when you talk about him. You know you're the only person who still calls him that. He's not a kid anymore Cath, he's an assistant supervisor. _Your _assistant supervisor! What is it about him?

Catherine was still processing his words, her pet name for Nick ringing in her ears the way that Vartann had mimicked. It was a habit. She was sure it was just a habit. She hardly realised she ever did it, and she hadn't realised it was so obvious to others that she did it. Did it really wind Vartann up as much as it seemed to?

VARTANN: Does he know about Lindsay's Dad?

Catherine couldn't help the short sharp exhale as she processed the irony of Vartann's question. An exhale she could see was slowly winding the man before her up again. She kept her voice low and stern:

CATHERINE: Nick is my closest friend, okay? He knows _everything_ about me. He's the only man I trust and probably ever will.

She watched as Vartann looked away in frustration and she could tell that this truth was everything he'd presumed. She happily took the moment to open the door to her car, ready for a short finale which would end in a goodbye-forever type way. But her motion was halted when Vartann's hand slammed the door forcefully shut again and he moved towards her, his face threateningly close to hers as he looked sternly into her eyes:

VARTANN: So you're saying _he's_ the competition?

Catherine hesitated due to shock, not only by his sudden close proximity but also by his presuming words which she wanted more than anything to agree to. She could tell from the look in his eyes that the hesitation had pretty much been the answer he'd been expecting. But before either had a time to react, a voice called out to them and Catherine exhaled shakily in relief as she saw Nick approach the car from behind Vartann.

NICK: Hey…

Vartann stepped away from the car in aggravation as Nick took his place beside Catherine, looking at her momentarily concerned, before turning to look at the detective defensively:

NICK: Everything okay here?

Catherine's heart was racing, with no idea what was going to happen next. The look on Vartann's face was that of a man who was ready to kill as soon as his eyes had clasped on Nick's stern expression. The two men straightened as tall as they could, Vartann with an extra inch in height, Nick with an extra presence in build thanks to time spent at the gym. In the end the detective took one look at the couple before him, noticing Catherine place a hand on the small of Nick's back, and he exhaled in frustration along with a disbelieving smile:

VARTANN: Forget it. I hope you enjoy his company Catherine.

Catherine's heart lurched with nerves as she watched Vartann turn and leave as he walked quickly, gruffly back towards the offices. What had he meant by 'enjoy his company'? He knew. He could sense something was going on between her and Nick. Chances were he was going straight back to his department to find Ecklie and tell all. By tomorrow afternoon she would have to expect a flag-down by her boss, telling her that he would need a meeting with her, to write a report on the inappropriate relationship that she and Nick had shared all those years ago. And then they would have to put in an application to move to opposite shifts, that was if neither of them were fired-

NICK: Are you okay?

His quiet words soothed her thoughts, but she still trembled with nerves as he wrapped his arms protectively around her, using the shelter of the two cars either side of them to hide their presence for a moment. As Catherine took a deep intake of breath, the smell of his aftershave comforting her, she couldn't believe she'd actually done it. She'd ended things reasonably undramatically with Vartann. She pulled away from Nick and he gave her a small smile as he put his hands in his pockets:

NICK: Sorry for barging in, I couldn't stand waiting for your call any longer.

Catherine opened the door of her car with a little giggle and threw her bag onto the passenger seat before turning to look at the man stood before her. He knew her so well. He knew things weren't going to go well when Vartann wanted 'a word'. He knew that she would need his help and he knew she wasn't going to ask for it in front of Vartann. His lop-sided grin still hung on his face and his dark brown eyes bore into hers. It was bizarre to think that she was now, technically, a free agent. That they could start up a relationship if they both wanted to, so long as it was a secret. But for now, she needed to get home, to rest and catch up on sleep after being awake for over twenty four hours. With a flirtatious smile that had appeared on her face, much to her awareness, she brought her hands out and cupped his hips for a moment, keeping her voice low:

CATHERINE: Good night Nicky.

He gave her a small wink with a flirtatious smile that matched her own, and watched as she jumped up into her car, started the engine and gave him one last longing smile before driving out of the car park.

* * *

**Thanks for the positive feedback, its really encouraged me to keep writing and updating!  
The drama's still not over and you'll find out why in the next chapter :) **


	21. The Cell Phone

Catherine yawned widely as she rubbed her brow whilst walking down the corridor towards her office. Her wrist had made a full recovery since the damage that had been caused a couple of weeks previous, with the odd twinge here and there if she moved it in an awkward direction. The shift was already feeling like a long one, having already visited and attempted to process a scene at the beginning of the shift. The time she could've spent sleeping at the end of her shift the day before had been filled with other distractions, distractions that she didn't necessarily regret despite feeling as though her legs couldn't hold her body up much longer.

SARA: Didn't sleep much huh?

Sara walked alongside her supervisor, interrupting the strawberry blonde's yawn. She couldn't help the smirk on her face. Ever since that shift two weeks ago, when Catherine had begged her not to mention anything about her and Nick's previous relationship, she'd been keeping an extra special eye on the two just to see if anything more was going on. Eye contact and small smiles were now exchanged frequently between her two supervisors, as though they were hiding a secret. And this particular secret was one that Sara had worked out. Despite barely any evidence other than Catherine's revelation that she and Nick had been something a long time ago, and the knowledge that Nick was in touch with Lindsay, Sara could only conclude that he was actually Lindsay's biological father. Which was what made the conversation with Greg, on the day of Catherine's alleged break-up with Vartann, that much more awkward for Sara:

_GREG: If I told you something, you'd promise never to tell anyone right?_

_Sara looked up from the mess that was Jamie Young's wardrobe. The two had entered the house of the young man not so long ago, and they'd left Nick in the lounge to question the mother while they went in search of shoes. Sara had to admit, Greg had seemed distant ever since he'd entered the break room earlier that shift, and she looked over at him with a quizzical expression as he stood up from his kneeled position by the bed. _

_SARA: You can trust me._

_She watched as he hesitated, moving towards her nervously, until he was a few feet away and she noted the dark circles under his eyes that she hadnt really noticed before. He seemed concerned about something in particular and Sara wondered if he was about to tell her what it was:_

_GREG: My girlfriend told me something today and I really need to tell someone in the team…_

_Sara hesitated, awkwardly looking down at a pair of shoes that she held in her gloved hands. For as much as she loved to find out different things, she'd already found out that day that Nick and Catherine had been holding a big secret. That the two of them had had an affair many years ago and it seemed to start to affect the way they worked together._

_SARA: Erm…I dunno Greg, if it's a secret of your girlfriend's then I'm not sure if I should be told-_

_GREG: It's a secret of both of ours. I just found out today._

_Sara's mind was whirring. What could possibly have spooked the lively lad that she knew so well? He was always so chirpy and happy-go-lucky, but since he'd started going out with this girl there seemed as though a weight had been placed on his shoulders. She looked up and noticed that he was beginning to look his age. He didn't wait for an answer and continued, speaking each word slowly with caution:_

_GREG: My girlfriend is Lindsay._

_Sara froze for a moment, taking time to process what had just been said. Greg had said it as though he expected her to know who this mystery girl was. Lindsay. She only knew of one Lindsay and that was Catherine's daughter. Suddenly she felt the blood drain from her face and her heart skipped a beat as she looked at Greg's nervous expression:_

_SARA: Oh my god…as in Catherine's Lindsay?_

Sara stopped beside Catherine who had arrived at the door of her office, wondering how badly her colleague would take this news when she found out. That was _if_ she ever found out. It was well known that Greg didn't have the greatest track record when it came to girls. But the way he had spoken about his girlfriend in the past, the way he had gushed about all her amazing qualities, it was hard for Sara to see when the relationship could end, especially if they got on as well as Greg said they did. She'd promised him that she would never tell Catherine, and Sara made a note never to mention it to Nick either if her presumptions of his relationship in conjunction with Lindsay was correct.

Catherine watched her brunette colleague's curious look on her face, as though she was thinking hard about something and snapped her fingers leading Sara to resume her thoughts back into the corridor with a small smile and a slight shake of her head.

CATHERINE: Fancy going to see Brass and find out if he's brought in any suspects from the recent murder?

SARA: Sure. Nick mentioned you knew the girl. You still okay about it?

Catherine nodded absently and walked into her office, closing the door behind her as she thought back to the moment she and Nick had rolled up to the crime scene. The sight of a slumped body on the floor of a bathroom, the head and hair soaking wet as though it had been shoved down the toilet. No matter how many dead bodies she'd seen over the years working in the field, Catherine could never quite get used to seeing a young woman's life wasted so dramatically. Especially as the recent bodies had been of women so close to her daughter's age. As she made her way over to her desk, pulling her cell out of her pocket, she thought back to the moment she realised the identity of the girl:

_CATHERINE: "That's Katie Matthews. She's Lindsay's best friend."_

_She could see Nick in the corner of her eye, turning to look at her, but her body had turned numb with shock. The sight of seeing someone so familiar. Someone so close to her daughter that it was almost as though it was Lindsay herself._

Catherine sighed heavily, nervous as she dialled Lindsay's cell. Half wanting her to answer, half not. She didn't want her daughter to find out about Katie from anyone else but herself, but finding the right words was already proving difficult. To her surprise the call went straight to voicemail. Catherine was so surprised she almost forgot what to say and stammered her way through her unplanned speech:

CATHERINE: Oh…hey Lindsay. It's Mom…could you call me back when you get this? I…I really need to tell you something. Something important. Thanks.

She snapped her cell closed and leaned on her desk with her head in her hands. She didn't even want to imagine how her daughter was going to take this news. Katie was like the sister Lindsay never had, they had done everything together when they were growing up and Catherine was forever grateful to Katie's parents for looking after Lindsay as much as they had. As she slid her cell between her fingers absentmindedly she thought back to how different things seemed the previous day, before arriving at the scene:

_NICK: Hey are you up to anything now?_

_Catherine turned from her position standing over her desk, stacking paperwork into the correct piles, to see Nick walking through the door of her office. It had been two weeks since the end of her relationship with Vartann and to her surprise she hadn't rushed head over heals into Nick's arms. They'd played the last two weeks smoothly. Neither seeing the other before or after work but relishing in the fact that they were working shifts the way they had done long ago. They'd been exciting each other with eye contact and the odd brush of a hand across the other's back, or conveniently having to squeeze between tables in the lab at the same time, which resulted in more body contact than necessary between platonic colleagues. She watched with a smile as he closed the door of her office over and approached her slowly, still waiting for an answer:_

_CATHERINE: What right this second? Cos I'm kinda sorting my desk out._

_Nick smiled, shuffling his feet slightly under the pressure of their eye contact. They had just finished a long shift, stuffed in their own offices having to sort out a heap of paperwork that seemed to emanate from Ecklie every other hour, and to be fair Catherine was looking forward to leaving the building._

_CATHERINE: But afterwards I'm not up to much.._

_She looked at him eagerly, hoping that he would take the hint that she was ready for the two of them to start something. Possibly even tonight. She noticed his hand go to his back pocket and pick out a couple of tickets. She had to catch her breath as he held them out to her, his hand brushing hers as he exchanged the tickets:_

_NICK: Fancy going out? It's nothing special, just a new bar that's opened in town. I know the owner so he sorted me out with a couple of VIP tickets. If you're interested?_

_Catherine couldn't help the wide smile that had gushed across her face and she felt her heart ramming against her rib cage. Finally a proper date._

Catherine found a small smile on her face as she sat back in her chair, remembering how Nick had spent the first hour trying to convince her that this wasn't going to be a fiasco like the previous time they had gone out to a gig. When Nick had ended the night early after meeting a girl, leaving Catherine alone at the bar, resulting in her drink being drugged and her waking naked in a strange dingy hotel the following morning with no recollection of how she got there. She'd spent the hour trying to reassure him that she trusted him to look after her, that she was sure the night wasn't going to end that way. As Catherine continued to twiddle her cell around thoughtfully she recalled the moment she'd been longing for.

_Catherine hesitated as the upbeat music changed to a slow ballad and she looked over at Nick who mirrored her nervous grin. Neither had anticipated the music to change, nor the couples around them to gather and slow dance. Catherine took hold of the hand that Nick had held out to her and he pulled her in close, closer than they'd ever danced before. She rested a hand on his shoulder and nuzzled her cheek close to the side of his neck, the temple of her head against his ear. She could feel his strong arm around her waist as he mirrored her nuzzle, his mouth and nose almost resting on her neck. His warm breath against her neck sent excited waves down her body as the music continued._

_NICK: You look beautiful._

_Catherine couldn't help the little giggle that escaped from her mouth and against Nick's neck. She pulled her head away from his shoulder and turned to find his eyes, locking with them. The sound of the music, mixed with the sensation of their body contact and movement left the two speechless as they looked into each other's eyes with small smiles on their faces. As they continued moving around slowly Catherine found her nose tracing its way around Nick's and vice versa, this new contact adding to the thrill of the slow dance. She couldn't control the butterflies that were racing around in her stomach whilst her heart continued to attempt to pound out of her body. And as slow as you like, almost in slow motion, Catherine found her eyes closing as she felt Nick's warm lips enclose around hers. As the music continued, so did the kiss, deep long and meaningful. Catherine felt her tongue trace Nick's bottom lip and took a deep intake of breath as he opened his mouth, their kiss becoming more intense as twenty years of bottled up emotion slowly found a release._

Catherine jumped slightly as she heard her cell bleep and she opened the device, to read the message, _"Almost back at the lab. N x"_ a small smile appeared on her face as she remembered how much trouble her cell had got her into a few hours after that perfect moment:

_Catherine awoke with a start as she heard the unfamiliar screech of an alarm and opened her eyes blearily, not overly thrilled with the thought of having to get out of the lovely warm bed she was tucked up in. As the screech continued so did her aggravation, and with one swift movement she hoisted her naked body over the bare torso that lay beside her and slammed a hand on the silence button of the alarm. The time read two pm, a steady two hours before her shift was due to start, and she held a hand up to her face to brush her messy hair away from her eyes. She closed them momentarily with a small smile on her face as she felt fingertips lightly tracing their way across her back and she looked down at the face of the body she'd sprawled on top of when silencing the alarm. Her blue eyes locked with a set of chocolatey brown eyes and his cute lopsided grin looked up at her. No words needed to explain how happy the pair were to finally be together, the way they had always wanted to be, and Catherine leaned down to kiss Nick tenderly on the lips. She felt him pull the quilt over their heads and she couldn't help the little giggle that escaped out of her mouth between a kiss as Nick rolled her onto her back. The kisses deepened, become more lustful as their hands explored each other's naked bodies as they had done during the late hours of the morning when they had finally returned to Nick's house. Nick broke the kiss and paused, pushing the quilt from over his head as he frowned slightly, looking over at the bedside cabinet on what had been Catherine's side of the bed. Catherine sat up on her elbows, slightly disappointed their afternoon together was being interrupted and she followed Nick's gaze over to her cell which rang violently on the bedside cabinet. With a sigh she reached over, rolling her eyes at Nick after reading the caller ID, and flipped the phone open to answer the call:_

_CATHERINE: Willows._

_BRASS: Hey Catherine, we've found another body of a young woman. Looks like a similar scene to your previous girls, I think it's the same murderer._

_Catherine couldn't help the heavy sigh of disappointment as she heard the detective's words and she looked over at Nick who had rolled off her body onto his back, rubbing his eyes with a similar sigh. Neither had wanted work to arrive as soon as it appeared to be and those hopeful two hours alone together disappeared from their sight:_

_BRASS: I thought you'd want to be here as you've been following the leads._

_CATHERINE: Alright, thanks Jim, text me the address and I'll make my way over there._

_She sat up sleepily, the newly reformed energy that Nick had excited out of her had suddenly evaporated, and she brushed her strawberry blonde hair aside as the man beside her sat up and kissed her shoulder before resting his chin upon it, listening in on Brass' final few words._

_BRASS: Oh and see if you can get hold of Nick, we've been trying to call him but he's not answering his phone._

_Catherine couldn't help the wicked grin that spread across her face as she looked to her left, into Nick's eyes as he continued to rest his chin on her shoulder with an equally large grin on his face. She stammered her way through the final part of the conversation, trying her best to play it cool:_

_CATHERINE: I'll see what I can do. Thanks Jim._

_She quickly snapped her cell closed and laughed at the irony of the conversation. Getting hold of Nick wasn't half as difficult for her as everyone might think and she held the device up slightly towards Nick as he pulled away from her shoulder grinning, both knowing that he'd heard the conversation too:_

_CATHERINE: That was Brass. We're being called in._

_Nick nodded as he pushed some of her hair behind her left ear and leaned towards her, breathing on her neck as he spoke in a whisper:_

_NICK: So I heard._

_Catherine closed her eyes as the feel of his warm breath on her neck followed by a soft kiss sent warm sensations down her body. The temptation to stay in bed until the official start of their shift was too tempting and she returned the kisses passionately as she pulled him towards her, leaning back on the mattress. Their intentions were interrupted once again by a bleep and the couple sighed as they looked at the text of the address that Brass had sent Catherine. She looked at Nick with a disappointed expression that they had to end their time together so abruptly but the man just smiled at her cheekily with a small shrug:_

_NICK: Guess we're gonna have to pick up where we left off after our shift then._

Catherine snapped out of her daydream as Sara barged into her office slightly breathlessly as though she'd been running. She was about to tell the brunette off for not knocking before entering but as she looked at the expression on Sara's face she could tell something was wrong. Catherine felt her stomach sink as she hoped nothing had happened to Nick but as Sara spoke directly, urgently, Catherine could tell it was much worse:

SARA: Brass has brought someone in for questioning.

Catherine listened to Sara's following words as though they were flying at her in slow motion. Her heart stopped momentarily as her colleague spoke the two words in an almost dumbfounded urgency:

SARA: It's Lindsay.

* * *

**A little early Christmas present for the wonderful followers of this story :)  
Now getting to the nitty-gritty of the story that I've been planning to write for a long ol' time so the next chapter's due to be a goodie!  
A very Merry Christmas to those who will be celebrating it, and I aim to get an update to you guys before the new year. Sophie x **


	22. The TwoWayMirror

Catherine felt the blood rushing to her ears as all other sounds in the room disappeared and her eyes drew themselves into the deep blue of her daughter's as Lindsay sat on the other side of the two-way mirror, somehow managing to look back at her without really knowing where Catherine was. The look on the young strawberry blonde's face was apologetic, with the hint of a nervous disposition and worry. Despite feeling a tug under her elbow Catherine didn't move, she _couldn't_ move, as she tried desperately to understand what had just happened:

_BRASS: Do you know why you're here Miss Willows?_

_Catherine shuffled her feet nervously as she looked from the dark room she was stood in, through the two-way mirror into the bright room that her daughter and two colleagues sat in. She'd ran fast, down the twelve flights of stairs it took to get down to the interview department she was now stood in, and had initially intended on going through the door marked 'Interview Room 4'. Though she soon realised that bursting into the room and cuddling her daughter like she so desperately wanted to do wasn't the best decision to make, so chose the door a little way down from it that she knew was the dark room behind the mirror of her daughter's interview room. A cold rush had cascaded its way over her as she nervously stepped through the door and she had to take a deep shuddering breath in an attempt to compose herself as she had moved up to the glass to take a long look at the young strawberry blonde sat upright at a small desk, alone in the center of the bright room. She couldn't quite work out the look on her daughter's face as Lindsay fiddled with the sleeve of a large baggy jumper that Catherine knew she'd become attached to over the winter months. Then Detective Brass had stepped into the bright room, closely followed by Sara, and they had sat themselves opposite Lindsay, both seeming slightly hesitant when seating themselves, as though nervous at the outcome of this interview. Nervous that the Lindsay they had both known when she had been growing up had been tainted by the Vegas that was nicknamed Sin City. So there they sat, waiting for Lindsay to answer Brass' opening question, and Catherine held her breath nervously._

_LINDSAY: I've no idea. _

_Catherine couldn't understand why her daughter was here, being questioned. What evidence had Lindsay left in Katie's house that had made her a suspect? She thought back to the few moments she had spent examining the house - before she choosing to return to the office, feeling too connected to the case for her liking. There had been no sign of any of her daughter's clothes anywhere in the house. She'd recognised the smell of perfume, but only that it had a fruity tint to it, one that was similar to her daughter's, but definitely wasn't. Catherine had gone into Katie's room to inspect it. She'd found a bedroom similar to Lindsay's, feminine with lots of photos plastered on the walls, a small desk with all varieties of makeup on and a mirror just behind it. Catherine had reached out at the frame of the mirror and pulled a small photo from it. It had been a photo of Katie and Lindsay, arms around each other's shoulders, taken at Lindsay's 15th__ Birthday Party. Catherine had never seen the photo before, but that was because she'd not made it to the party in time. She'd been at work so had to ask Katie's parents to control the celebrations for her. She'd inspected the large smile on Lindsay's face in the photo. Her little girl. She was so happy, beautiful, untainted by the crime that Catherine saw shift-to-shift. She was the little glow of light, the one glimmer of hope that Catherine clung onto during dark shifts. Catherine looked through the glass at the young woman her daughter had become, the same beautiful features, those bright blue eyes and straight strawberry blonde hair that flowed past her shoulders. But there was an air of unease about the room. As though something bad was about to happen. Catherine jumped as she heard someone rush through the door of the dark room and to her relief she turned to see Nick stride over to her, a look of confusion and panic on his face as he whispered to her:_

_NICK: Lindsay…is she okay? Have I missed anything?_

_Catherine shook her head in disbelief at the situation before them, shrugging slightly as she turned back to the scene in the bright room. She couldn't think of anything to say. Even the slight bit of comfort she felt now he was with her wasn't enough to shake her out of what seemed to be a horrible nightmare. Until they found out more about the circumstances that their daughter was in, neither were anymore the wiser than their two colleagues that were sat in the room with Lindsay. _

_SARA: Do you know a young woman called Katie Matthews? Early twenties, brown hair-_

_LINDSAY: -She's my best friend._

_Catherine's heart leapt for joy for a moment as relief swept over her body. Lindsay had spoken about Katie in the present tense. It was often a known fact that suspects who spoke about victims in the present tense were less likely to be the aggressor in the murder than suspects who spoke about victims in the past tense. Catherine eased into Nick's chest as he placed an arm around her with a sigh, he seemed to have thought the same as her, that their daughter was almost off the hook. But there was still tension in the air. After all, Lindsay wasn't yet aware that Katie was the victim in this murder enquiry._

_LINDSAY: Wait. Is this why I'm here? Is…is it about Katie?_

_The butterflies in Catherine's stomach caused it to twist and she couldn't tear her eyes away from her daughter's face. A small look of fear appeared on it as Sara sighed heavily before handing across the table two photos that had been taken of the deceased Katie after being examined by the coroners. _

_SARA: Katie was found this afternoon, she'd been drowned._

_Catherine watched as Lindsay picked up a photo with a shaky hand. Tears were beginning to fall down the young woman's cheeks as she stared in horror at the photo. Catherine was relieved her daughter hadn't seen any of the photos that had been taken at the crime scene, or it may have pushed Lindsay over the edge._

_BRASS: Where were you this morning?_

_Lindsay looked up, her face a picture of horror. Catherine closed her eyes, knowing that her daughter could see where they were going with these questions. She trusted Lindsay with all her heart, she knew that she was innocent. She knew that she had brought her up properly, teaching her right from wrong and hopefully preparing her for the big wide world that now lay before her._

_LINDSAY: Wait, you're not saying you think that I did this?_

_BRASS: Did you?_

_Catherine opened her eyes to see Lindsay slide the photo back over to Sara and Detective Brass, tears running down her face, clearly hurt by the presumption. The young woman sat forward, speaking her words firmly, as though there was every truth behind them:_

_LINDSAY: I stayed at Katie's last night but left at 8am! _

_Brass looked at her sternly with a sigh. Catherine could tell this was becoming difficult for him. After working with the Detective for over fifteen years she knew his techniques when questioning a suspect. Getting down to the facts as soon as possible. Asking simple questions and hoping to get the perfect answer out of the suspect. But questioning someone he knew wasn't something he was used to. Catherine knew he wanted to believe the young woman, but he had to maintain professional:_

_BRASS: Look, all we know is that your fingerprints were found all over the bathroom, including the toilet which Katie had drowned in. And you just said yourself that you were round hers-_

_LINDSAY: -but I wasn't at Katie's this afternoon. I was somewhere else. I can prove it!_

_Catherine exhaled in relief that her daughter had proof and she felt Nick entwine her hand with his, squeezing it slightly with reassurance that everything would be okay. She took a moment to look over at him but he remained his concentration on their daughter in the other room. He looked troubled and she wasn't surprised. This had probably come as much as a shock to him as it had done to her._

_SARA: Do you have this proof?_

_Catherine returned her attention to the scene before her. Sara had leaned towards Lindsay, seemingly positive that the girl had some form of proof, presumably desperate for her to be off the hook reasonably quick. Catherine jumped as she saw Lindsay turn to her right and look what seemed to be, for a moment, through the glass right back at her. Catherine and Nick both hesitated, wondering if Lindsay knew they were watching her, and their wonders were verified when the young woman turned back to Sara, keeping her voice low:_

_LINDSAY: We both know what my mother's like. She's protective. Word will have spread that I'm here, and I wouldn't be surprised if she's behind that mirror right now._

_Catherine's heart sank as Lindsay motioned to the glass which they stood behind, knowing the other side seemed like a mirror to the inhabitants of the room they were observing. She watched as Sara followed the strawberry blonde's finger and shrugged at the couple she knew were behind the glass._

_LINDSAY: So long as anyone's behind there, I cant show you this._

_Catherine watched eagerly as Lindsay pulled a piece of folded paper from the front pocket of her baggy jumper. She so desperately wanted her daughter to just open it, to explain what it was and how it linked her to anywhere but the crime scene she'd initially been placed at. Brass stood up with a sigh and left the room, leaving Sara and Lindsay staring at the paper in Lindsay's fingers as they waited in anticipation for the inevitable hubble from the room behind the mirror._

BRASS: You heard what she said.

Catherine zoned back into the room as she realised what was happening. Her daughter had proof that she wasn't at the scene during the time that the crime had happened and she wasn't allowed to be here when the proof was shown? Nick had hold of her arm, trying to pull Catherine away from the glass but she shrugged it off, talking loudly and angrily at the detective stood at the door:

CATHERINE: But I'm her mother! This is the closest I can get to being with her, to help protect her!

Brass closed the door and strode over to the couple that stood in anger and disbelief:

BRASS: You want to protect your daughter? Then let her have her wish so she can show us the evidence that doesn't place her at the crime scene at the time of her friend's murder. If it's solid enough evidence, she should be with you by the end of the hour.

Catherine hesitated, looking over at her daughter who still sat motionless, staring at the piece of paper. The look on Lindsay's face was one that she used to wear when she was a child, when she was about to confess to doing something wrong. Catherine was relieved that Sara was the one in the interview room with Lindsay, it meant the young woman recognised her interviewee's, that she could at least trust them unlike any of the day shift team. For a moment Catherine was relieved Lindsay had been pulled in for questioning on her shift. Her heart fluttered and she looked from Nick to Brass quickly:

CATHERINE: Nick…Nick can stay though?

She could feel her heartbeat racing as her hope rose. Surely Brass would let Nick stay. After all, the detective didn't know that Nick was Lindsay's father. At least that way _one_ of them could be with her as soon as she left the interview room. She watched as Brass looked from Nick, to herself, then back to Nick again, clearly thinking about what she had just said. But he looked back at her apologetically and her heart sank:

BRASS: I'm sorry Catherine. Nick. I cant let either of you stay.

Catherine hesitated, wondering if this meant that the detective really did know their secret. That Nick was Lindsay's father. But Brass continued, putting her mind temporarily at ease:

BRASS: I'm going to turn this light on so the room's revealed, that way she'll know we're working with her to make sure she gets off the hook like we all know she deserves. If the evidence is sturdy enough Lindsay should be out of here really soon. I'll get Sara to take her straight to your department when we're done.

Catherine took one sad look to her right to see her daughter still fiddling gently with the paper in her hand. There was nothing she could do, so with regret she nodded slowly before being escorted out of the room by Nick, wanting time to fly by so that she would be reunited with her daughter again.

* * *

**Happy New Year everyone :)**


	23. The Long Forty Minutes

Catherine paced impatiently around the break room, glancing out of the door every so often to see if Sara would be walking down the corridor from her office. Nick sat at the table, nursing a coffee while watching the mother of his daughter expressing her frustration with a heavy sigh. They'd been in the room waiting for over forty minutes. Forty long minutes. He'd given up trying to calm her down. Hugging her wasn't an option thanks to the large windows that gave the room its form and no words had helped either.

NICK: Catherine you need to sit down.

Catherine stopped her pacing and looked at him briefly. It was uncharacteristic of her to just stand back and see what would happen. To let things take their course. She always had to do something. She wasn't as laid-back as he was and waiting to see the outcome of their daughter's interview was becoming unbearable. But as he looked at her with those dark brown eyes and sympathetic face she took a deep breath and walked over to the seat that Nick had motioned to beside him. She sat down heavily and put her head in her hands, her body soothing slightly as she felt him rub a warm hand over her back reassuringly.

NICK: Lindsay's going to be okay.

CATHERINE: I know.

Catherine looked up from her hands and over to the man sat closely beside her. She could sense his concern, he'd become protective over the past hour. Constantly reassuring her that everything was going to be okay. That as soon as Lindsay's interview was finished and their shift had ended then the three of them could go out for a bit of breakfast to ease the tension. Catherine brought a hand down and rested it just above his knee, wanting to keep contact with him so he knew she was there for him as much as he was for her.

CATHERINE: Thank you for being here.

NICK: It's my job.

He shrugged with a small smile but Catherine's heart sank a little. She hadn't realised he'd only stayed with her because he was working. Because Lindsay had become part of the case he was working on and that he couldn't do too much more until there was an outcome of her interview.

NICK: I mean it's my job as her Dad and as your…boyfriend?

Catherine's heart skipped a beat as he questioned the final word. They'd barely been together formally for twenty four hours. They'd only been on one date and only slept together twice. The first time as a one night stand resulting in the conception of their daughter twenty one years ago. And the second time being several hours ago. But with so much history the two shared together and such strong identical feelings, Catherine didn't hesitate about the suggestion. 'Boyfriend' sounded so insignificant for someone who meant so much more to Catherine, but there was no other label she could think of giving him. He was her best friend, her colleague, her Assistant Supervisor, in the past he'd been a one night stand, and more recently she'd realised he was her other half, the half that made her whole. He was the father of her only child and she loved him. She smiled, slightly overwhelmed with the idea that she and Nick were actually discussing something they'd never discussed before, and nodded:

CATHERINE: …as my boyfriend.

NICK: Right, so its my job as Lindsay's dad and your boyfriend to be here for you. For both of you.

They both couldn't help the smiles on their faces despite such a difficult hour they were having. Nick's soft grin reminded her of the time long ago when she had brought Lindsay into work for the very first time, in the very same room they were in now.

_Catherine took a deep breath as she approached the break room carrying the newest most precious part of her life. She wasn't sure who would be in the room, but she was certain most of the team she worked with would be there as she'd pre-warned her supervisor that she would be popping in to say hi. It had been a long month since she had last worked here and she'd missed everyone, but no more than she'd missed Nick. He was always someone who could make her laugh or smile and she was eager to see him, relieved that Eddie was busy parking the car. It was no lie that her husband disliked Nick. Whether he was threatened by the young man's good looks or how well his wife seemed to get on with Nick was unknown, but there was always tension in the air when the two men were in the same room. As Catherine stepped into the break room she was met with a couple of cheers from a handful of team members who raced up to congratulate her and look at the newborn girl in her arms. Amongst the 'coos' and 'aahhs' from her colleagues Catherine took a moment to look around the room. She couldn't see any sign of Nick, the person she'd been the most excited and nervous to see again. The trip into the department was rapidly feeling like a waste of time._

_Suddenly she felt a hand stroke her back and she turned to her right to see a pair of dark brown eyes looking at her with a small grin on his face. Catherine lost her breath as Nick kissed her cheek before wrapping his right arm around the small of her back._

_NICK: Congratulations._

_His whispered word sent a small tingle down her body as he reached over and tenderly stroked the cheek of the tiny baby with the back of his left fingers. Catherine noticed the longing look in his eyes and she knew why that was. She knew he was a family man, even when he denied it. _

_She'd broken his heart several months back. Her abusive marriage had been on the rocks and Nick had been her only source of hope. She could tell he'd fallen for her and that she'd fallen for him. After their one night stand she had fallen pregnant and the only responsible thing for her to do, for her future child and for Nick himself, was to go back to Eddie. To remain in a stable environment for her child and for Nick to forget her and continue concentrating on his career. So she had lied to Nick to protect him, to protect both of them. To protect their jobs and any future heartache. She knew she had broken his heart, as soon as she had told him she was going back to Eddie and felt Nick pull his face away from her hand she realised that she'd broken her own heart too._

_The smell of his aftershave gave her a warm comforting feeling as she looked at him with a small smile on her face. What she wouldn't give to change everything. To turn back time and continue her separation with Eddie. To set up home with Nick instead, a man who loved her, who would never threaten her, who would care for her and her child until the end of time._

_CATHERINE: Would you like to hold her Nicky?_

_She watched his face light up as he tenderly took the baby girl from her arms. Catherine looked at the tears glistening in his eyes as he cooed over the little bundle of life. For a fleeting second she thought about the possibility that she'd pondered over, during the early stages of her pregnancy. That Nick might be Lindsay's biological father. That he had no idea the little baby he held in his arms was actually his daughter. Nick looked up at her with a big grin, the tears now apparent in his eyes and she felt herself begin to well up too:_

_NICK: She's perfect._

All of that seemed so long ago now. Almost twenty one years to be precise and so much had happened since then. They had both been promoted a lot through the department, achieving what they had both wanted to achieve when they had first met back in the day. It may not have seemed it at the time, but Catherine was now sure she'd made the right decision to push Nick away back then. He'd had time to grown as a person, to accept the responsibilities handed to him one at a time instead of them being thrust at him in one go. He'd been given time to save money, buy an apartment, buy a nice car instead of all his money being used to keep Catherine and Lindsay and a mortgage afloat for the past twenty one years. It would have corrupted him and potentially their relationship. In hind-sight, it was the best move she could've made.

Catherine looked at him with a small smile, now was the right time to be starting something. It wasn't ideal while they were still working in the same department, as the risk of them losing their job was still apparent. But they were both mature enough to appreciate what they had and could have if they pursued a romantic relationship. She had a desperate urge to cuddle up to him, to receive comfort in the way that Nick knew best, but being at work meant that the contact the two supervisors had now was more than they should have in the work place. Their moment was interrupted by Sara, who tapped lightly on the door of the break room. She looked nervous as Catherine and Nick stood up abruptly, looking at her in anticipation.

CATHERINE: Well?

SARA: She's off the hook.

Both Catherine and Nick sighed with relief, but Sara held a hand up to the strawberry blonde supervisor as she began to make her way out of the room.

SARA: Erm…Catherine? Be gentle with her, and listen. She's got a lot to tell you.

Catherine furrowed her brow as she rushed out of the room and strode up the corridor to her office, wondering what Sara was talking about. Nick stood at the door of the break room watching Catherine approach her office, then step through the door, leaving it open just a tiny bit, presumably inviting him to follow her. But instead he took a deep worrying breath and went to sit back down at the table of the break room. He'd only been in Lindsay's life for a couple of months, he didn't want to crowd Catherine's parenting skills even though he desperately wanted to see what was wrong and how Lindsay was feeling. Sara watched him from the door of the room as he went to drink from his mug of coffee. She felt sorry for him. She still wasn't a hundred percent sure if he _was_ Lindsay's father like she presumed, but his actions now and his reaction to her call earlier made her confident that he probably was:

_Sara stepped out of the elevator onto the appropriate floor where she would be interviewing Lindsay Willows. She could hardly believe the situation herself and couldn't imagine how Catherine was feeling right now. To have a daughter that was being accused of murdering her best friend. It not only sounded like an unusual assumption for an every day suspect, but for Lindsay who was so calm and happy it seemed unbelievable. Non-the-less, Sara knew she had to conduct the interview as a CSI, using what the evidence told her not her heart. She was the only person on the grave shift team who would be able to conduct this with a straight head. Ray and Greg were working on a different case in the labs and having Catherine or even Nick conduct it would be too dangerous as they were linked so heavily to her. Sara found herself reaching into her pocket for her cell phone:_

_SARA: Nick, Lindsay's been brought in for questioning regarding Katie Matthew's murder._

_She could hear him swear down the phone as she walked down the corridor towards the interview room, where Brass stood outside. She could sense the desperation in Nick's voice as he spoke:_

_NICK: Is she okay? What evidence is there? Where's she going to be questioned? Is she okay?_

_SARA: I don't know, I'm going to interview her now with Brass. We'll be in interview room 4. I've already told Catherine but I thought you'd want to know too._

_She half expected him to deny any reason for needing to know, after all she was presuming a lot, but his voice remained concerned as he sounded as though he was running._

_NICK: I've just got back into the building, I'll be there soon._

Sara left the room as Nick continued to stare down at his coffee with his head leaning on one hand, seemingly concerned. He'd reacted just how a father would react and Sara felt sorry for him that he hadn't gone with Catherine to see how Lindsay was. She knew he was a gentleman, that he probably didn't want to step on Catherine's toes when it came to an emotional reunion with her daughter. Sara continued up the corridor towards Catherine's office, her stomach flipping over as she saw Greg strutting towards her. She hadn't told him that Lindsay was in the building, nor did he look like he was aware of the situation in hand.

SARA: Greg, I need to tell you something.

Greg stopped, seeing the concerned look on his colleagues face and his heart sank. Whatever it was she had to tell him, it didn't look like good news. He wondered if it was about Katie Matthews. He'd found out from Hodges, one of the lab rats, who had shown him a photo of the crime scene taken earlier. Greg wasn't on the case but he immediately recognised the woman's face, his heart dropping as his concern for his girlfriend increased. If it happened to Katie. It could easily happen to Lindsay. But no matter how many times he had tried to ring his girlfriend's cell, it went straight to voicemail. Unusual for her he'd thought, as she would always have it on, even if it was silent at work. So he prepared himself for the 'Lindsay's best friend was found dead this afternoon. I thought you should know' speech. But it never came and Greg felt his heart plummet with every word Sara spoke:

SARA: Lindsay was brought in for questioning about a murder.

Sara watched with dread as a look of panic consumed Greg's face. He was reacting exactly as she'd expected but she held her hands up, not wanting to cause him anymore stress then he already seemed to have.

SARA: She's okay, she had evidence that placed her away from the crime scene at the time of the murder.

GREG: Evidence..?

Sara nodded awkwardly. After finding out all that she had today she looked at him in a new light. She now knew why he looked so tired, why he seemed as though he had a huge weight on his shoulders, why he was involved in such a forbidden love the way he was:

_Sara looked from her seated position in the light room through the glass at Brass who had turned the light on in the dark room to reveal that there was no longer anybody watching the interview. She turned back to Lindsay who took a deep shaky breath then handed her the paper that had been laying in her nervous hands. Sara looked at it in shock. Sure enough the date and time on the page clearly showed that Lindsay had not been at the crime scene during the time the murder had taken place. But what had shocked the brunette even more wasn't the writing but the picture._

_LINDSAY: My boyfriend took me to the doctors for my scan. I'm due in June._

_Sara looked up from the sonogram at the young woman sat in front of her, her heart beating fast as she looked at the strawberry blonde's stomach. Lindsay placed a hand on it and as her hand patted down the baggy jumper a bump could be seen._

_SARA: Does your Mom know?_

_Lindsay shook her head, a tear slowly rolling down her cheek. Sara felt sorry for the young woman, Catherine was very protective of Lindsay at the best of times. The brunette didn't envy the young strawberry blonde one bit. The idea of having to tell Catherine about Greg was scary enough she was sure, but to have to tell her she was pregnant as well... She reached out and took Lindsay's hand, squeezing it reassuringly._

_LINDSAY: I've been keeping it a secret for months. Mom'll flip out, you know she will!_

_Catherine was soon to become a grandmother and she had no idea. Sara kept her voice low and soothing, trying hard not to show her own nerves at this news and awkward situation._

_SARA: You need to tell her. The sooner you do, the sooner she'll have time to be okay with it, the sooner you can have the important support unit you need to have this baby Lindsay. Everything's going to be okay._

Sara and Greg froze as a voice shrieked from gap in Catherine's office door, only a few metres away:

CATHERINE: GREG _SANDERS!_?


	24. The Reveal

Lindsay perched nervously on the edge of the desk in her mother's office. Sara had just left the room, leaving her alone to think of the best possible way to tell Catherine everything. She fiddled with the sleeve of the baggy jumper that had become an essential piece of clothing over recent weeks. Her petite frame and slim figure meant her bump had become noticeable not long after Christmas, causing her to panic that her mother would realise she was pregnant just by appearance. But Catherine hadn't been home too much, and when she had been home Lindsay was already at work. Fiddling with the sleeve of her jumper reminded her of the shopping trip she had taken just after Christmas, when Greg had found the jumper and bought it for her along with a couple of pairs of pants:

_Lindsay felt herself looking around nervously as she stepped through the sliding doors of the impressively huge, bright shopping mall, one hand stuffed deeply in her coat pocket which she's struggled to zip up that morning. She was due to see her Dad in the afternoon and knew that her bump had suddenly become recognisable overnight, but to her dismay there wasn't anything she could wear to hide it well enough. So after a panicky call to her boyfriend, she found herself here on a mission to find some better clothes. She looked to her right at Greg who had hold of her hand, his face showing that he had no idea where to start. He couldn't quite understand why she was worrying. According to him, there wasn't much of a bump. But her pants had become very tight, and that was enough for Lindsay to feel self-conscious enough to need something bigger._

_GREG: So…pants first? Or shall we just browse with no real objective? Cos I know there must be an ice cream stand somewhere in here if we browsed hard enough.._

_Lindsay couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she looked over at her boyfriend's cheeky grin. It was no secret she loved a bit of ice cream, it was her pick-me-up. Greg always knew how to cheer her up and she squeezed his hand as he pulled her further into the mall:_

_LINDSAY: Browse. Definitely browse._

_In the end they walked around the entire mall on the purposeful mission to find ice cream, finding a stall typically in the last place they looked. Lindsay sat on a bench near the stall and closed her eyes as she felt the cool sugary spoonful of ice cream slide down her throat. This really was the best treat. She looked to her right to see Greg sat next to her, not eating his own ice cream but watching her with a content smile:_

_GREG: Better?_

_LINDSAY: Much._

_She leant into him as he put his arm around her, kissing the top of her head. She inhaled his aftershave, feeling comforted and safe thinking that there was something so wonderful about being in the arms of someone she…loved. Lindsay sat up slowly, she hadn't really been in love before. Not like this anyway, and she hadn't realised that was how she was feeling towards Greg until now. This feeling of happiness, safety, hope and trust was __love__. She looked over at him with a smile, her blue eyes pouring into his brown eyes, but he spoke before she could say anything:_

_GREG: I love you Lindsay._

_LINDSAY: I love you too._

_The couple couldn't help the huge smiles that spread across their faces at the moment they had just shared telling each other that they loved the other for the first time. Lindsay felt an uncontrollable urge to cry and she looked apologetically at Greg who's face looked shocked as tears fell down her face at a fast pace:_

_LINDSAY: Sorry…h-hormones…_

_She mustered a laugh with Greg as he brought his face closer to hers. She looked into his brown eyes, his face had softened into the cute little grin she had become accustomed to and she felt her heart rate speed up slightly in excitement as Greg cupped her cheek and kissed her gently on the lips._

Lindsay felt her heart flip as she looked out of the window of the office door before her to see Catherine striding up the corridor in her direction. There was relief and concern written on the older woman's face as she approached the door and looked through the glass at her daughter. Lindsay suddenly felt very sick.

Catherine entered her office, curious as to why her daughter had requested that she not be present during the interview for a particular reason, nervous that after forty five minutes of waiting, the time had come to find out. It felt weird being stood in the room without Nick, someone who she felt had every right to hear from Lindsay as much as she did, so she left the door ajar in the hope that he'd follow her. The silence in the room was deafening as the two women looked into each other's eyes, blue against blue. Catherine couldn't stand seeing Lindsay looking the way she did, so venerable, so she stepped towards her daughter with her arms outstretched. But Lindsay didn't move towards them, she remained seated on the edge of the desk nervously as her mother brought her hands back and folded her arms, slightly hurt by the rejection. Sighing heavily, Catherine looked curiously at the pained expression on the young blonde's face, and she spoke softly, hoping this would encourage some confidence that she knew her daughter had somewhere:

CATHERINE: So do you want to tell me what's going on? Sara mentioned you had evidence that didn't place you at the crime. That's good news right?

Lindsay cleared her throat loudly, her heart was ramming against her ribcage and the piece of paper that she had handed Sara an hour ago was still clutched in her hands. She'd ran the words in her mind over and over and over again since she'd found out she was pregnant almost four months ago. The exact words she would use to tell her Mom and all the answers and retaliations she would need to give after her Mom's reaction. But as she tried to remember them, Lindsay realised they'd all become a blur and she was left with nothing.

CATHERINE: Is that it? Is that the evidence?

Lindsay took a deep breath and nodded as Catherine motioned to the piece of paper in her hand. She was sure she'd feel more confident if Greg was with her right now. They had always planned to tell Catherine together, for support. But bringing him in here now would only confuse matters, possibly making them even worse than they already were.

LINDSAY: You're not going to like what I'm about to say.

Catherine felt her heart jump momentarily. What ever Lindsay was hiding it seemed serious enough to spook the young woman, to make her nervous about telling. Was it about Katie's murder? Perhaps about the piece of paper in her hands? She unfolded her arms and exhaled calmly, wanting to invite her daughter to find the strength and trust to tell her:

CATHERINE: Try me.

Lindsay felt tears springing up in her eyes, her heart felt as though it was jumping out of her mouth as she blurted out the two words she'd always feared telling her mother:

LINDSAY: I'm pregnant.

Catherine's reaction was predictable. The blood drained from her face as she looked stonily at her daughter, trying to process what had just been said. She exhaled heavily, her face scrunching up as she spoke words without thinking:

CATHERINE: You're _what_? Wha-how did this _happen_?

Lindsay's heart was hammering away and butterflies were fluttering around in her stomach. She opened her mouth, not really wanting to explain the details but her mother held a hand up before she spoke a word:

CATHERINE: Don't answer that, I _know_ how its happened but…

Catherine held the hand up to her forehead, her mind beginning to swirl. She hadn't anticipated becoming a grandmother for a while yet. Sure, she was in her early fifties but a _grandmother.._.she didn't feel old enough! And Nick. He'd only just found out he had a daughter, how would he react if he found out he was to become a grandfather too? Then there was Lindsay. She had her whole life ahead of her, at least she had done. What would happen now? Would she continue living at home? Would Catherine have to provide for this baby as well as her daughter? And what about the father in question?

CATHERINE: Your boyfriend, the two of you haven't even been together long enough to understand each other let alone how to understand a baby.

LINDSAY: We've got it all worked out. We're gonna be fine Mom.

CATHERINE: And he's told you that has he? He's told you everything's going to be okay. How do I know he can take care of you and this baby Lindsay? How do I know if he can provide for you and protect you?

LINDSAY: Because you _know_ him.

The office became silent as the conversation came to a break. Catherine had to catch her breath at her daughter's announcement. She _knew_ who her daughter's boyfriend was? But she didn't know anyone Lindsay's age, let alone from her old college or work. She watched as Lindsay moved away from her eye contact. The look on the young strawberry blonde's face fell as she looked out of the window of the office. Catherine turned to follow her daughter's gaze and her heart plummeted as she caught sight of Greg speaking to Sara outside the office. Suddenly it all made sense. The secrecy and not being introduced formally to 'Lindsay's boyfriend' yet. Greg's happy-go-lucky self, mentioning how amazing his 'new girlfriend' was, but his reluctance to say anything more than that even when asked. Catherine turned back to face her daughter as Lindsay swallowed loudly, waiting for her mother's inevitably shrill voice:

CATHERINE: GREG _SANDERS?_

LINDSAY: Mom, please don't get mad.

Catherine scoffed putting her hands on her hips. Not only was Greg one of her work colleagues, he was also fourteen years _older _than her daughter. To think that he had started and continued a relationship with Lindsay behind her back was one thing, but to know that he had done all that _and_ made her pregnant became unbearable for Catherine as she breathed heavily, angrily. She paced over to the office door and opened it abruptly, yelling at Greg as he stared at her, petrified:

CATHERINE: GREGORY JAMES SANDERS. MY OFFICE. _NOW!_

Lindsay watched in horror as her mother held the door open wide for her boyfriend to walk into the room. All the color from Greg's face had disappeared and he focused his attention on her as opposed to Catherine who pushed the door over again.

CATHERINE: You're dating my daughter and you didn't even think to ask my permission first?

Greg could hear the words that his supervisor was saying, but everything was becoming a blur as he stood beside Lindsay, facing her mother. All of his worst fears were coming to life. Catherine had found out about his relationship with Lindsay without him being able to tell her himself. It felt like the worst kind of betrayal. He felt his hands shaking with nerves as Catherine continued to stare at him with her cold blue eyes, but he felt some strength return as Lindsay took hold of his hand. Things weren't going _exactly_ how they had planned, but it was a relief to be together now that everything was out in the open. Well, almost everything.

CATHERINE: She's only twenty Greg! And now she's _pregnant_?

LINDSAY: I _am_ here you know.

Greg felt as though his heart was about to rip through his chest. No wonder Catherine was angry, not only had she just discovered that Lindsay was dating her work colleague, but that she was pregnant too. He briefly glanced over at his girlfriend who had stood up from the desk, her face had become stern and her eyes were just as bright blue as her mother's. There was a tone of aggravation in her voice that could've easily competed with Catherine:

LINDSAY: It's not his fault. I hadn't told him until today that you were my Mom.

CATHERINE: Not his _fault_?

Lindsay knew where her mother was going with this. All the news had come in one go for Catherine, and she was handling it the only way she knew how, in an over exaggerated fashion. Catherine pointed at her daughter's stomach and to her dismay Lindsay held a defensive hand up to it, revealing the small bump that had grown there.

CATHERINE: You're _pregnant_ Lindsay! What the hell is your Dad going to say?

Greg furrowed his brow at Catherine's last rhetorical question. He'd always thought that Eddie was dead. Eddie _was _dead. So how was he going to say anything about the matter? Unless Lindsay and Catherine were slightly more unstable than he'd thought and they attempted to contact the dead…

CATHERINE: Greg's one of his best friends! Did you even think about that?

Now Greg was completely stumped. If there was another man out there who was Lindsay's father then she hadn't mentioned him once in the two months that they'd been dating. And this mystery man was supposedly his best friend too? He looked up at the door to see Nick step into the room.

NICK: Hey, what's going on?

For a moment Greg felt relieved that an opportunity had arisen to break up the conversation and get back to work. He presumed that Nick had entered the room to tell Catherine or himself or both that they were needed to help out in another case. But to his surprise Nick just closed the door behind him and looked questioningly at Catherine, who's face seemed to calm slightly with the new appearance. With a sigh, Catherine turned back to Lindsay with her eyebrows raised, her voice low yet irritated:

CATHERINE: Well? Are you going to tell him or shall I?

There was momentary silence in the room as all eyes were on Lindsay. She felt uncomfortable being the bearer of such huge news to her father once again. She looked at Nick's soft brown eyes, the look of curiosity plastered over his face. In the time that she had known he was her father and any time before that she had never known him to get angry. Lindsay had the feeling it wasn't his thing. He seemed so much more laidback than her mother. So why did she find it just as difficult to tell him? Greg looked from Lindsay to Nick then back to Lindsay again. He couldn't quite comprehend why Nick was involved all of a sudden. Sure, the man had just entered the room, but the private conversation hadn't come to a close. He couldn't imagine his girlfriend telling practically a stranger their secret, but to his surprise Lindsay opened her mouth, scrunching her face up slightly as though each word she spoke to Nick was excruciatingly painful:

LINDSAY: I'm pregnant.

Lindsay watched, curious to see what her father's reaction would be. Nick's face looked just as blank at Catherine's initially had, then slowly as the words seemed to sink in he furrowed his brow:

NICK: You're pregnant.

Lindsay exhaled heavily. So far so good. His reaction wasn't becoming the over-the-top fiasco her mother's had been. Whether it was down to his personality or that he still didn't know her well enough to get angry, Lindsay wasn't sure. But to her dismay her mother still hadn't calmed down, facing her father with raised eyebrows:

CATHERINE: And guess who the father is.

Greg felt the blood drain from his face as Nick looked over at him with a fallen face. Suddenly it all made sense. The referral to "Lindsay's father" when Catherine had spoken to her daughter a moment ago. The reason Lindsay had never mentioned her father or introduced them. He wasn't sure how long the other three people in the room had known about this or whether anyone else knew for that matter. The reason for secrecy was obvious, because it would reveal the truth that many people in the department had speculated back in the day, Greg included. Nick was the father of Catherine's daughter. He felt his heart rate increase as Nick lunged towards him, grabbing fistfuls of the front of shirt and yanking him up to his height. Despite the action, and the look of angry disappointment in his face, Nick still kept his voice low yet agitated:

NICK: _You_ got Lindsay pregnant?-

LINDSAY: Nick!

NICK: -You've been dating her all this time and you didn't even ask permission?-

LINDSAY: Nick!

NICK: -She's only twenty years old!-

LINDSAY: _DAD_!

Greg heard his girlfriend's final yell ringing in his ears. He felt Nick's grip on his shirt ease off as the man before him was calmed back into reality by the young woman who had put a hand on his shoulder. The office retuned back to silence again as Nick stepped away from Greg, putting his hands on his hips and looking down at his feet with a sigh.

LINDSAY: I think maybe I should clear a few things up.

Catherine snorted slightly as she folded her arms, waiting for any more surprises her daughter decided to give her. She had stood back while Nick had vented his frustration at Greg. He reaction had been that of an over-protective father, and she knew it was uncharacteristic. But he had done it as a form of protection. Catherine was relieved that she wasn't the only one appalled by this recent relationship revelation.

LINDSAY: Yes, Greg and I have been dating. And yes, I am pregnant. But-

She paused as Nick shook his head disapprovingly while her mother sighed:

LINDSAY: -_But…_Greg's not the father.

She watched as an inevitable groan sounded from both her parents mouths, both bringing their hands up to their respective foreheads. She knew that this was possibly worse than any news they had heard in this office so far tonight, and it showed. Catherine had a look of horror on her face while Nick looked shocked.

CATHERINE: Well who is then?

Lindsay hesitated. She hadn't told her mother about any of her ex-boyfriends, particularly not the last one. She felt Greg smooth a hand over her back and she closed her eyes, calming herself as best as she could:

LINDSAY: Just a boy I used to go to school with.

CATHERINE: Oh well if he's _just a boy_ that's alright then!

Lindsay closed her eyes at her mother's sarcasm. She had always known Catherine would struggle to come to terms with this news along with all the other bits of news she had revealed. But the woman stood in front of her wouldn't have approved of her previous boyfriend any more than she approved of Greg right now:

LINDSAY: I know its not alright. But as soon as he found out I was pregnant he dropped me. Ran after some other girl. Said he couldn't handle such a mess like me.

The young woman paused for a moment to catch her breath between the tears falling down her cheeks. Describing the memory she had played over and over in her head had been more difficult that she'd anticipated. She felt ashamed that she had got herself into the situation in the first place, a situation she had promised herself she would never get into until she had settled down with a man she loved. A man like the man stood beside her, keeping his hand smoothing across her back in reassurance:

LINDSAY: Then Greg came along. We'd met in the café round the corner, and after a bit of breakfast he asked me out.

The smile on Lindsay's face grew as she looked to her left, at Greg who was looking at her with a happy look on his face that meant he was remembering their first meeting too. Lindsay turned back to face her parents who looked slightly sickened by the story so far. She had to make them understand how good her boyfriend had been to her.

LINDSAY: And I hesitated. I told him right there and then that I was pregnant. I was ready for his answer, I was ready for the rejection, but it never came.

Greg remembered their first meeting at the café like it was yesterday. That moment when he knew the young woman before him was someone special. Someone who could turn his world around:

_GREG: Well I'm gonna go home to bed…fancy joining me?_

_He knew it was a risky thing to ask and he wasn't sure why he'd asked it. It was the worst chat-up line that had failed on numerous accounts on women he didn't even really like. Not as much as Lindsay, and her reaction was as expected, with her eyebrows raised as she rolled her bright blue eyes unimpressed:_

_LINDSAY: Did you __seriously__ just ask me what I thought you just asked me?_

_Greg put his head in his hands and groaned:_

_GREG: Yes. Ugh, I'm sorry!_

_LINDSAY: Has that line __ever__ worked?_

_Greg looked up with a cheeky grin but before he could say anything Lindsay quickly put a hand up to his face:_

_LINDSAY: Actually…don't answer that._

_He'd blown it. He knew he'd blown it and the hope of getting with this beautiful, funny young woman had been dashed thanks to his big mouth. He watched as she placed her fingers around the handle of her mug and drank the final drop of chocolate before sighing with a small smile on her face:_

_LINDSAY: Besides, I'm more of a dinner-then-movie girl._

_Greg's hopes raised as he realised he hadn't completely messed things up with her:_

_GREG: Well we can catch some dinner and a movie if you want?_

_He watched as the strawberry blonde's face dropped. He was confused, why was she pushing him away? He thought they were getting on okay._

_LINDSAY: Greg…I don't think that's a good idea._

_GREG: Wha…but I thought we were having a good time?_

_LINDSAY: We are…_

_GREG: Is it because of the bed thing? Cos I'm really sor-_

_LINDSAY: No, it's not that…_

_The conversation stopped for a moment and Greg watched as Lindsay sighed taking nervous glances around the café before looking back at him. It was as though she had so much to say, and a lot of trouble saying it:_

_LINDSAY: I need to tell you something…and I totally understand if you choose never to see me ever again but…I'm pregnant. Almost eight weeks gone._

_Greg watched as the bubbly blonde he had been in the presence of for the past thirty minutes crumbled slightly before his very eyes. Her announcement hadnt been one he'd expected. After all, the young woman certainly didn't look pregnant._

_LINDSAY: I'm not with the father before you ask. He did a runner as soon as he found out. So…I'm single…but have a bit of baggage, if you see what I mean._

_The look on her face was heartbreaking and Greg hung onto her every word as if it was the most upsetting thing she had ever had to say. So she __had__ been having a good time with him. She just felt she needed to push him away because there was potentially so much commitment involved in such a short space of time should their first date go well. Greg followed her gaze over to Nick and Catherine not really paying attention to the fact that they were now holding hands, speaking somewhat affectionately. As he thought about it, he realised that Lindsay had been everything he'd been waiting for. He was thirty four and hardly getting any younger, even if he did look in his mid-twenties. Over the past several years he craved for a girlfriend who would love him for who he was, would accept his crazy work routine, would laugh with him, would talk with him, that there was hope of building a future together. And Lindsay was all of that, her beauty being a complete bonus. He didn't care that she was pregnant, yes it may make things slightly more complicated a few months down the line, but what was important was the here and now. And right now, he wanted to go on a date and find out more about her. To spend more time with her. He exhaled heavily with surprise as he turned to look back at her worried expression. He could see the tears glistening in her bright blue eyes and he shot her a little grin, wanting to make her sadness disappear:_

_GREG: I'll pick you up tonight around six?_

_Greg watched with joy as her face lightened and she took a deep breath. He took hold of the napkin beside her elbow and scribbled his cell number down on it with the pen he had been using for the crossword in his newspaper._

_GREG: Just let me know where._

_LINDSAY: You're sure you don't mind?_

_The was a sense of hesitation in her voice, and Greg could see why. But through a close friend's experience he knew that dating a woman who was pregnant with someone else's child wasn't the end of the world. His friend Rich, had dated his other half for four months before she gave birth. He had then become the child's father, supporting both himself, her and the child. Seven years on and they had got married, had more children and lived together in a large house as though the eldest child were his own. Greg was confident that Rich wasn't the exception to this successful story and leaned over towards her, keeping his voice soft as his eyes, full of sincerity, bore into hers:_

_GREG: I really like you Lindsay. This is a little hurdle. We're just gonna have to jump over it together._

Even though he could remember it as though it was yesterday so much had happened since then. They'd been on several dates, with the pregnancy being a key discussion every now and then. Greg had redecorated his entire apartment, chucking out things he didn't need any more, making sure the place was liveable. Over the years it had basically been a place that he'd used to crash at between long shifts, but now it had the potential to be a _home_.

LINDSAY: Greg's supported me from the start of our relationship. I couldn't have done this without him.

Greg smiled as Lindsay ended her story. Everything she had said was true. He had tried his hardest, and was still trying his hardest to make sure that she was safe and happy. The countless amount of times they had thought about the future. Of the arrival of the baby. Of how happy they would be, just the three of them, living in the apartment that Greg owned not too far from Catherine's. He knew it had been a speedy relationship so far, that maybe things were all going so fast, but for the first time in his life the relationship he was in felt right. He looked over at Nick and Catherine and, to his relief, their faces had softened. Lindsay watched as her mother glanced at her father who had put his arm around her and was looking Greg straight in the eye, as if trying to look into his soul:

NICK: And you're going to stick by her, even though you aren't the biological father?

The words Nick spoke rang in Lindsay's ears. She realised how important this situation was to her parents as it had similarities to her own mixed up childhood. Except this time, the biological father wasn't the good guy. He had trouble staying out of trouble and off the streets. This time the biological father was bad news. Not like Nick, who would've probably been a better father to Lindsay when she was growing up, had he been older and a little further in his career. Her mother had made those decisions for her daughter's benefit. Now Lindsay had to do the same. And the man to her left wasn't making the decision difficult:

GREG: Of course I will. I love Lindsay and I will love this baby as if it were my own.

Lindsay watched the hesitation that flickered over her parents faces, they _had_ to believe him. After all they had known Greg far longer that she had. If she trusted him why shouldn't they? She watched as Nick and Catherine looked at each other in the way that Greg had once described, as though they could 'read each others minds', before letting out identically heavy sighs and turning back to the young couple before them.

CATHERINE: Alright. As messed up as this situation seems we know you Greg, we know you're a good guy. But I swear to God if you hurt our daughter in anyway there'll be hell to pay.

NICK: From both of us.

Greg felt his whole body relax in relief as the parents in front of him began to take down their guards. It was so important to him to make sure they knew just how much he loved their daughter, that they trusted him with her life as well as their future grandchild. He looked at the two of them in a new light. Not as his supervisors but as his girlfriend's parents. And it was unusual to see them as a couple, even if it had been a long time ago when they presumably had an affair, resulting in Lindsay's conception.

Lindsay felt an overwhelming wave of emotion and rushed up to her parents, embracing them excitably in relief, closing her eyes as she felt her mother's warm arms around her waist, her father's strong arms enveloping both of the women. The hardest part was over, or so it seemed. It would take small steps for her parents to accept this pregnancy with open arms, but they were on the way. She felt her mother kiss her on the top of the head and both her parents pulled out of the large hug. Catherine looked into her eyes with her eyebrows raised and a straight face:

CATHERINE: Now you need to go home and rest, its been a stressful evening for you and its no good you being stressed.

Lindsay took her mother's words as a small sign of acceptance over the news that had been thrown onto everyone's shoulders over the past twenty minutes. Catherine stroked her daughter's strawberry blonde hair affectionately, a slight glimmer of sadness flickered onto her face. Nick took a deep breath before looking over at Greg, speaking softly:

NICK: Greg, take Lindsay home and look after her until we're done here.

Lindsay looked over at Greg who looked surprised as he opened his mouth but Catherine held up a hand with a small reassuring smile:

CATHERINE: It's okay, we're not up to our ears in cases right now. You can go.

Greg nodded, taking hold of Lindsay's hand and they started to make their way to the office door. But Lindsay stopped, turning quickly on her heels before handing her mother the piece of paper that had the sonogram printed on it. Catherine stared at the picture, a look of surprise with the hint of a small smile crossed her face as she inspected the image.

LINDSAY: It's a girl Mom. It's going to be a girl.

Lindsay couldn't help the smile on her face as she announced the result of her test earlier that day. Her blue eyes caught the sparkle in her mother's eyes and, despite the lack of smile on Catherine's behalf, with that sparkle Lindsay knew that this news meant a lot to her mother. Potentially carrying on the 'strawberry blonde with bright blue eyes' trait that had trailed over the past four generations, soon to be five, was an exciting thought for both women. Lindsay felt Greg squeeze her hand, she knew he had been just as excited at finding out they were going to have a girl. So excited they had spent a good hour after the appointment thinking of potential girl names. Nick looked over Catherine's shoulder at the image, his cheek making contact with her ear for a little while as he held a smile on his face. Lindsay and Greg silently left her parents in the office and walked down the corridor hand in hand, feeling relieved to have ridden the huge burden they had been carrying for two months.

* * *

**There we go then :) the two couples know where they stand...for now.**

**In answer to ShadowoftheblackrOsE's comment, yep I am indeed British, from jolly England in fact so apologies if I accidentally write "Mum" instead of "Mom" or "rubbish" instead of "trash" or "trousers" instead of "pants" or "colour" instead of "color"...I'm trying to keep everything as realistic as possible :S**

**Oh and if you're loving the Nick/Catherine pairing I also did a movie trailer for them a couple of months back. If you type this: /watch?v=DDZ3PQOO7T0 into your search engine (like google) it should come up with a video link called "CSI: Vegas Movie Trailer" with a pic of the couple next to the title. It's on YouTube so I suppose if you search "****CSI: Vegas Movie Trailer" on youtube you'll find it there too if you fancy having a look at it? ****:) thankfully they've had enough fitting scenes together over the past 11 seasons to make a fictional storyline!**

**Sorry there was such a delay in updating this chapter, I've had it in my mind since I started this fic over a year ago so it took re-write after re-write for me to be satisfied that it was good enough to post. I cant promise that all the chapters are going to be this long though :) and finally thank you for all the comments, they've kept me focused and determined to get this chapter out ASAP x**


	25. The Locker Room

The formidable creak of Nick's locker door sounded as he opened it, pausing with a sigh as he stared absent minded at his coat. His mind had been on nothing more than the situation that happened in Catherine's office six hours ago. He'd milled about the department since then, not really listening to anybody nor speaking, just flicking through paperwork on his desk before finally making the decision to finish his shift now. There was no point staying for overtime if his mind wasn't on the case. And it really wasn't. As he'd left his office he'd checked Catherine's office to find the door locked and the lights off. The situation had seemingly affected her more than it had affected him, so much so that she'd left the building without even saying goodbye to him. He continued to stare at his coat, thinking back on the shift. Of the news. Lindsay was _pregnant_. The last thing he'd expected to find out when he walked into that office earlier was that he was going to become a grandfather.

_Nick looked up from his coffee mug that stood before him on the top of the break room table as he heard the distinct sound of his girlfriend's voice, yelling from what sounded like her office down the corridor to where he presumed the recipient was standing:_

_CATHERINE: GREGORY JAMES SANDERS. MY OFFICE. NOW!_

_Nick furrowed his eyes at her anger which not only sounded through the volume of her voice but the tone too. Something had happened to Lindsay, presumably involving Greg too, and Nick stood up to look out of the room curiously. He saw the figure of Greg step into the office as Catherine closed the door over again. She looked angry, stressed and confused. _

_NICK: Hey what's going on?_

_He approached Sara who stood in the middle of the corridor, staring at the office with a look of shock on her face. She looked troubled, as though she knew what was happening and she looked over at him with an awkward expression._

_SARA: Erm…you'd probably better find out for yourself._

_He followed her hand motion towards the office and with a deep breath he nodded before slowly making his way towards the room before him. He looked through the window as he approached it, watching Catherine motioning largely with her hands and arms at her daughter as Lindsay and Greg stood side by side, Greg's brow was furrowing slightly as Nick heard the words his girlfriend spoke at their daughter:_

_CATHERINE: Greg's one of his best friends! Did you even think about that?_

_Nick could feel his ears burning and he sensed that Catherine was talking about him, so with a deep breath he stepped into the office, closing the door right up to make sure their conversation was private. If it was something personal, he didn't want everyone to know about it, that was if his other half kept her voice half as loud as she was. He shot her a little reassuring smile, knowing that was likely to calm her and as he spoke he saw her exhale in slight relaxation of his presence:_

_NICK: Hey, what's going on?_

_He looked from Catherine, to Lindsay and back to Catherine again, as the older strawberry blonde spoke with a sigh at their daughter, her voice low but slightly agitated:_

_CATHERINE: Well? Are you going to tell him or shall I?_

_Nick looked over at his daughter, who looked up at him, a look of uncomfortable embarrassment on her face and Nick wondered what had happened to make her so shy all of a sudden. It was as though she was scared to say what she was expected to say. He gave her one of his little smiles, wanting to encourage her to trust him, to talk to him, to show her that he was listening. He watched as his daughter scrunched up her face, as though each word she spoke was excruciatingly painful._

_LINDSAY: I'm pregnant._

_Pregnant. Pregnant. Pregnant. Nick heard her last word repeat itself in his head over and over as though it were an echo. Now Catherine's reaction was understandable. Their daughter was pregnant? He furrowed his brow trying to process the information:_

_NICK: You're pregnant._

_He didn't feel angry like Catherine seemed to have reacted. More disappointed. Disappointed that his daughter wouldn't be able to experience the brilliant opportunities that girls of her age would be offered. The opportunity to go travelling, that she'd revealed in the past that she'd quite like to do, was now out of the window. Anything she now did she would have to keep her child in mind. There would be no escape or opportunity. Her money would always be at a low. And who was the father? Was he going to support her? Catherine's words snapped him back into the room, as though she had read his mind:_

_CATHERINE: And guess who the father is._

_Nick looked from the raised eyebrows of his girlfriend over to the other person in the room who he hadn't really noticed until now. He watched as Greg's face went pale and suddenly he felt his blood boil a little bit. It all made sense now, Lindsay's reluctance to reveal much about the man she'd been seeing for the past couple of months, Greg's lack of any information about the girl he'd started dating. Nick couldn't control his actions and in one foul swoop he lunged over to Greg and took hold of the front of his shirt, yanking his friend up to his height uncharacteristically aggressive:_

_NICK: You got Lindsay pregnant?_

_LINDSAY: Nick!_

_Nick heard Lindsay yelling his name, but he had to vent his shock and frustration out on the man before him who had seemingly torn his daughter's freedom from her hands:_

_NICK: -You've been dating her all this time and you didn't even ask permission?-_

_As Lindsay continued to call out to him it took Nick all his self control not to hit Greg. He wanted to. After all, Greg had been lying to his supervisors this whole time. Nick chose this moment to confront the young man before him. To show him that he and Catherine weren't to be messed with when Lindsay was concerned. But all of a sudden he felt a soft hand on his shoulder as his daughter screamed in his ear to bring him back into the room:_

_LINDSAY: DAD!_

_Nick sighed as the name Lindsay rarely gave him brought him back to his senses. He let go of the petrified man before him and stepped away, frustrated with his reaction as much as he was frustrated with the situation. He felt betrayed by his own friend. He never imagined that Greg would stoop so low to pick off his own daughter and get her pregnant. He put his hands on his hips as he looked down at his feet while his daughter spoke:_

_LINDSAY: I think maybe I should clear a few things up. Yes, Greg and I have been dating. And yes, I am pregnant. But-_

_Nick shook his head as he looked over at Catherine who sighed with tears in her eyes. All he wanted to do was hold her, to be a form of support in this seemingly difficult situation._

_LINDSAY: -But…Greg's not the father._

_Nick heard his own groan sound in unison with Catherine as his stomach plummeted and his heart dropped. He held a hand up to his forehead as Lindsay's news just kept getting from bad to worse. _

Nick looked away from his locker, frowning slightly as he heard a little sob come from the section of lockers behind his. He slowly walked to his right, making his way over to the noise and his heart swooped as he saw the owner of the sob, sat on the bench that ran along the middle of the section, hunched over a picture in her hands that she stared at. Her strawberry blonde hair remained tucked behind her ears, revealing a teardrop that hung precariously on the end of her nose. He knew she'd been hiding here, and had probably been staring at the picture their daughter had handed her for a long time. He slowly approached the bench.

Catherine hadn't looked up from the picture. She knew it had been him as soon as he had opened his locker on the other side of the room, the creaking sound was immediately recognisable. That's why she had continued to sob just like she had been doing over the past hour. She felt safe enough with him to reveal her venerability. And as he sat beside her she took a deep breath, feeling calmed by the smell of his aftershave as he smoothed a hand over her back and pulled her into half a hug. She happily nuzzled her cheek into the crook between his shoulder and chest, the feeling of his strong right arm around her as his left hand took her left hand and she couldn't help smiling slightly. This was just like it had been in the old days. Back when she had needed comforting for a completely different reason. She heard him speak, the southern hint in his accent while keeping the volume of his voice low sent a warm comforting sensation over her body as he motioned to the sonogram in her hand:

NICK: So what do we reckon? Blonde hair with blue eyes?

His heart lifted as he heard a little exhale of breath sound from the woman's mouth as though she laughed momentarily, and he watched as she sat up, maintaining her body directly beside him while her bright blue eyes locked with his, shining through the tears. Whatever form of laugh she had expelled had soon been lost as her face became worried again and she continued to look at him, her voice almost like a whisper:

CATHERINE: I feel like I've failed her Nicky. I should have noticed all the signs. The baggy clothing, her constantly being tired, her eating habits…

The words she spoke had shocked Nick initially as she held a hand up to her face in shame. She had revealed an intimate confession that he had a feeling she had possessed from the moment Lindsay and Greg had left her office that evening:

_Nick mirrored the small smile that Catherine shot him as she moved over to her desk, the sonogram still in her hand since Lindsay had handed it to her a couple of minutes previously. He watched as she stood over her desk with a sigh, the smile slowly fading as she looked thoughtfully at the black and white image, shaking her head in disbelief. Her reaction was as though she were pregnant herself, and Nick imagined this was probably how Catherine had reacted when she were pregnant with Lindsay back in the day. Staring at the sonogram, stunned by its contents as though it were a positive pregnancy test. He knew it was a difficult revelation to get her head around, the idea of their daughter growing up so fast. But what was more difficult for Nick to understand, which he presumed was felt also by Catherine, was how many times they had seen Lindsay over the months and never noticed once that she was pregnant. That the young woman had felt so embarrassed, possibly nervous about the whole situation that she felt she had to hide it away from her own parents._

_Nick looked over to the door of the office as one of the lab techs knocked on the window and poked their head around the door with an awkward look. Nick presumed this was because of the yell Catherine had screamed down the corridor not too long ago._

_HODGES: Is this a bad time?_

_Nick shook his head as he heard Catherine let out a small sigh of frustration. He walked towards the man stood at the door, happy to distract anyone away from the woman behind him who he knew needed some time to herself._

_NICK: What you got Hodges?_

_He watched as the man stood before him looked awkwardly over Nick's shoulder at Catherine. Nick rolled his eyes slightly, Hodges always was one for trying to find out the latest gossip, and presumably he felt whatever had happened in the office a few minutes ago was worthy gossip. Nick leaned to the right to block Hodges view of Catherine once again, raising his eyebrows at the lab tech looked back at him with a small look of surprise._

_HODGES: Oh…here. Tox report for Katie Matthews._

_Nick took the sheet of paper that was handed to him and glanced at the results, noticing that Hodges resumed his nosey nature, and with a sigh Nick motioned to the man to leave the office. As Nick followed the lab tech, he turned to look back at Catherine, shooting her a reassuring smile as she watched him leave and close the door behind him._

NICK: She's an adult Catherine, there's nothing more we could've done. You've brought her up so well.

Catherine shook her head slightly as she looked down at the picture in her hands in disappointment but Nick continued his quiet words of encouragement, desperate for his girlfriend not to punish herself for their daughter's situation.

NICK: She's polite, kind, confident, knows her own mind - which you know is important for any woman who goes out into the big wide world at the moment. And…

Nick paused as he waited to find the right words that wouldn't distress the strawberry blonde any further. He had been thinking about Lindsay's situation with Greg heavily over the past few hours. He'd known Greg a long time. Both he and Catherine had.

NICK: …I've been thinking. If we could've chosen anyone in the world to go out with Lindsay, to help her raise a child, we probably would've chosen someone like Greg. We know he's a good guy, in a safe job, who would protect both Lindsay and our future granddaughter with all his might.

He watched as Catherine nodded slowly, relieved that she wasn't too wound up with his new analysis of the situation. He continued looking into her eyes, even though he could feel her left hand fiddling with the sleeve of his shirt as his arm remained lolled over her shoulder. It felt like the old days again, back to the part of the locker room that rarely saw any member of staff during the night as the locker section they sat in belonged to members of the dayshift team. Nick leaned his forehead against Catherine's and closed his eyes briefly with a sigh, feeling happy to be back with her again, intimately, the way they used to be. As he opened his eyes again he watched as the strawberry blonde kept her eyes closed, taking a deep intake of breath with a small smile on her face, presumably just as content at being back together with him.

CATHERINE: I couldn't have done this without you Nicky.

Catherine opened her eyes as she felt Nick move away from her forehead, watching his small content smile looking over at her, before he gave a small shrug without words. She knew he wanted to say that he hadn't done anything. But he had done so much for her over the years. He was always with her for support, someone she could always talk to if she needed to put her mind at rest. Even when she would fly off the handle, like she had done with Lindsay earlier that shift. Even when she would hide away without telling him where she'd gone, like she had done over the past hour. He was always there. He was her rock. And she knew that he always loved her no matter what, just as she loved him.

NICK: Come on. Lets find out what sort of state our daughter's in.

Catherine couldn't help the grin that swooped over her face as she heard Nick speak so paternally towards their daughter. She took the hand that he had held out towards her and stood up with his help, before following him round to their lockers. They had driven straight to the crime scene at the beginning of the shift from his apartment in her car, compiling an excuse that she had picked him up on the way from her house to the scene. The excuse wasn't needed as no one noticed the couple had arrived together, despite only getting the call to attend the scene a mere forty minutes previous. So Catherine knew she would need to drive Nick home at the end of the shift, that was if she even wanted to. For now they would need to go back to her house, to check how Lindsay was keeping, possibly talk to Greg a little more in depth to find out what the young couple's plans were for the future. Catherine shrugged her coat on as she watched Nick buttoning his winter coat up, with a smile on her face. It was a bit weird to know that they'd reached a level of maturity, confidence and realisation that meant the two were now brave enough to call themselves a couple. Finally, after years of wondering if the other still felt the same way they had done back at the beginning of their friendship. They could get married and grow old together, with their grandchildren visiting every weekend and staying over in the family home they owned.

NICK: I've just got to grab my cell from my office. Wont be long.

Catherine nodded with a smile and watched as he left the room, gazing out of the door that he had walked out of. There was something so exciting and promising about the idea of going home with him this morning. That this may be the way they would end every shift from now on. With the prospect of going home and falling asleep together, with the anticipation of waking up and looking into each other's eyes with a smile on each other's faces. Catherine's smile faded as she heard someone step behind her and she turned to see Lou Vartann looking at her, a mixed expression of surprise and anger meshed over his face.

VARTANN: So I was right.

Catherine breathed quickly, backing into her locker with a thud as her ex-boyfriend approached her, his face close to hers with an accusing expression. Her heart was racing with nerves, a tint of fear etched in her mind as she attempted to hold a brave and steely look:

VARTANN: You and Nick-

CATHERINE: -Me and Nick, nothing. There's nothing going on-

VARTANN: Liar!

Her sentence ended abruptly as Vartann banged his left hand against the locker beside her. The noise took her by surprise and she couldn't help the tears that jolted into her eyes. The fear was beginning to consume her and she silently prayed that Nick would return soon.

VARTANN: I heard the two of you just now. _"Let's find out what sort of state our daughter's in?" _His daughter?

Catherine remained silent, there was nothing she could say. She didn't want to deny that Nick was Lindsay's father anymore, she'd denied it for too many years and now she knew the truth she didn't want to go back to the way it had been, even for the moment that she was in the presence of Vartann. Her silence had been enough of an answer for the detective and all of a sudden he violently took hold of her neck with his right hand, his face rippling into anger as he raised his voice:

VARTANN: Twenty years. Twenty years the two of you have been seeing each other! Sneaking around at work. I knew something was going on! Even when I stupidly thought we were together…

Catherine struggled to breathe, let alone strain out the words that were bubbling up from inside her. She was desperate to put things straight. To tell the man before her the truth. But she felt the air being squeezed out of her as he tightened his grip. She slowly began to close her eyes as her head became dizzy and the words the detective spoke drowned out as she began to loose consciousness.

* * *

**Sorry for the slight delay in updating, I've had a busy couple of weeks!  
Thanks for the lovely comments and for sticking with this story, there's still some more to come don't worry :) x**


	26. The Phone Call

The soft sound of music played in the distance as Catherine stirred, inhaling deeply before bringing a hand up to her forehead yet keeping her eyes closed. She turned her body slowly towards the sound of the music and opened her eyes blearily to see a portable radio stood on the bedside table beside the bed she lay in. Furrowing her brow slightly at where the device may have come from, she gently eased her body up from the soft pillows that she'd been resting her head on and looked around the room, immediately recognising it as her own. She had no idea how she got there, how she'd got into the house nor into her own bed, wrapped up in a duvet, wearing the same clothes from her previous shift minus the black jacket she wore to show her supervisory position in the department. With a small yawn Catherine gently pulled the duvet from around her, tenderly sliding off the side of the bed, steadying herself as her head spun from standing up too quickly. As she stepped into her en suite bathroom she could feel her neck burning and immediately headed towards the mirror of the bathroom cabinet doors. She peered at her reflection, her blue eyes staring in shock at the reflection of her neck. Catherine brought a hand up to her neck and tenderly glazed her fingertips over the bruises that had been caused from Vartann's grip in the early hours of that morning.

_Catherine gasped for breath as she fell to her weak knees relieved that Vartann had pulled away from her. But as she wrenched her eyes open with the final reserve of strength she looked opposite her to see that the Detective had been forcefully pulled away from her. He now lay in a small heap against a locker, his stunned expression describing how he'd been caught by surprise. Catherine sighed in relief as she looked up at Nick, who was stood over the Detective with a look anger on his face. What had happened she wasn't entirely sure, but from what she could see now she could only presume that Nick had flung the Detective across the room away from her._

_SARA: Catherine, are you okay?_

_Catherine looked to her right to see her colleague kneeling beside her taking her hand in support as though she had seen the whole thing. Vartann stood up and Catherine's stomach twisted as she watched the Detective square up to Nick, the two men's chest's were puffed out as though they were two Lion's trying to fight over their pride. It was uncharacteristic of Nick to be violent, but not to be protective. To the strawberry blonde's relief though, she saw Captain Brass step over to Nick, tapping him on the shoulder as both Nick and Vartann returned to the room, their chests loosening, and Brass motioned for the detective to follow him:_

_BRASS: I'll take it from here Nick. Come on Lou, lets go to my office._

_Catherine's heart jumped as Vartann looked from Nick to her in defeat. Nick blocked her view as he stepped between the Detective and her, forming a protective barrier. She watched as Vartann slowly followed the Captain out of the locker room. What would the Detective say? Ecklie was bound to find out within the hour, which meant the chances were high that this was her final shift with Nick. She couldn't help the tears that sprung into her eyes as Nick stepped over the bench and wrapped her in his strong arms. An action like this from him was often one that put her mind at ease, that numbed her body into a happy place for the time being, but for the first time ever the warm hug that Nick had embraced her with only made her feel sadder._

Catherine opened the cabinet door, peering at the shelves to see if she had any pain killers to cure her sore neck, but there was none. She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath before a small smile appeared on her face. There was that smell. The smell that always made her feel safe, happy and content. She didn't jump when she felt the strong arms wrapping their way around her waist from behind, and she melted slightly as she felt him breathing when he rested his chin on her shoulder. Catherine closed the cabinet window and looked at the reflection of her and Nick with a smile on her face.

NICK: How are you feeling?

His voice trickled into her ear sending a sweet shiver down her body as the pain she had once felt around her neck subsided and her attention was diverted to the man behind her. She turned her body around in his arms as he adjusted his hands to rest on her hips. Catherine continued to smile despite his look of concern, his brow was furrowed and she couldn't help raising her hand to his cheek, stroking it in reassurance.

CATHERINE: I'm fine. Better to be home.

Nick felt his cheek go numb at her touch. Her face was still pale and the sight of the bruise around her neck still made him feel guilty. Guilty that he'd left her. Guilty that he'd not noticed that his phone had been in his pants pocket the whole time until it was too late. To his relief though her eyes looked a little brighter than they had done earlier.

_SARA: So I hear congratulations are in order._

_Nick looked to his left as the brunette appeared beside him, walking at his pace down the corridor from his office back to the locker room which he'd left to find his cell. He knew Sara knew about Lindsay's pregnancy, but he wasn't sure if she knew that he was Lindsay's father as well. As far as he was concerned, Sara only knew that Catherine and Nick had been involved a very long time ago. He hesitated as Sara continued to smile at him before receiving a small nudge from her elbow:_

_SARA: About Lindsay..._

_Nick looked away from her, not wanting to reveal anything by his facial expressions but Sara just continued to smile at him, keeping her voice very low as a couple of lab techs walked past them:_

_SARA: Look, I know about you, Catherine and Lindsay._

_Nick felt his stomach sink as she spoke the words. He'd hoped no one would cotton onto his relationship with Catherine, nor how close he had become to Lindsay too. He'd wanted to keep his private life private. After all, the moment people started finding out was the moment his senior boss would find out, and the moment Ecklie found out was the moment the dream ended. He and Catherine would be thrown into reality, having to juggle busy shifts apart and scraping together as much spare time as they could to spend together. The relationship would never work out. He looked over at Sara, his facial expression apparently telling her all she needed to know._

_SARA: So, congratulations…Grandpa._

_Nick couldn't help but smile as Sara flashed him a cheeky grin. She was lucky he'd known her long enough not to take offence when she spoke sarcastically to him. His smile dropped slightly when Captain Brass joined the two of them as they rounded a corner, continuing in the direction of the locker room._

_BRASS: There you are Nick. Hey, congratulations._

_Nick glared at Sara who held her hands up in surrender, her face looking slightly worried and he was sure he knew why. But before he could accuse her of anything, Brass continued talking, keeping his voice low as people walked in the opposite direction._

_BRASS: Lindsay told us during her interview. Don't worry, your secret's safe with us._

_Nick tried to let his face relax but his heart was still beating nervously. On went the predictable process of chinese whispers, the big question was what part of the gossip was Ecklie going to hear when the news finally arrived to him. He looked to his left at his two colleagues and shot them a grateful grin, if anyone had to know he was pretty relieved it was them. They were trustworthy._

_BRASS: Besides, you and Catherine have kept everything hidden for years, that's pretty impressive if you ask me. I'm sure the two of you will be able to keep it going even with a grandch-_

_Brass' sentence came to an abrupt end as the three colleagues approached the locker room, hearing a huge bang from inside. Nick's heart skipped a beat as he froze at the doorway, seeing the look of terror on Catherine's face as her neck was gripped tightly by the man he knew to be Detective Vartann._

_VARTANN: -I knew something was going on! Even when I stupidly thought we were together…_

_Nick's blood began to boil and without a moments hesitation he lunged over to the man, gripping the back of his shirt and throwing the Detective over the bench away from the strawberry blonde. He hadn't meant for Vartann to clash against the lockers opposite Catherine quite as heavily as he had done, but as Nick approached the man, breathing heavily with the adrenaline that pumped around his body, he realised he didn't care. Anyone who dared to touch Catherine the way Vartann had done, to yell at her the way he had, to make her feel as threatened as she'd looked was too much for Nick. He took a deep intake of breath, puffing out his chest as the Detective struggled to stand up. He heard Sara asking if Catherine was okay, he knew so long as he was in the room with her that she would be. He didn't want to look over at the strawberry blonde, worried that if he saw her venerable state he'd find himself unaccounted for his actions towards the Detective who now stood before him, rolling his sleeves up in a threatening manner. All of a sudden Nick felt a hand place on his shoulder and he heard the calm voice of Brass, Vartann's superior, speak to the men:_

_BRASS: I'll take it from here Nick._

_Nick reluctantly stepped aside as the Captain motioned to the detective, Brass seemingly trying to maintain his authority despite the look of bewilderment that one of his law enforcers had just attacked a CSI:_

_BRASS: Come on Lou, lets talk about this in my office._

_Nick saw Vartann look over at Catherine and found himself instinctively stepping in front of her blocking the Detective's view. That man wouldn't lay another finger on her again, if his life depended on it._

Catherine watched Nick hesitate as he tenderly took her hand from his cheek and held it into his chest, looking at her with his dark brown eyes. Her smile faded as she heard him sigh, his words sounding as sad as he looked:

NICK: Ecklie wants to see us. He called me about an hour ago. Vartann's told him everything.

Catherine's stomach twisted and she could tell by the look on Nick's face that he also knew how bad this news was. Ecklie had found out about them sooner than they had expected. Catherine had hoped that she and Nick could have kept their relationship a secret from their boss for a couple of months at least, possibly even longer. They'd only been official for less than twenty four hours. They hadn't even had time to enjoy the routine of being in a relationship. The couple took a deep intake of breath as they placed their foreheads against each other, closing their eyes for a moment as they made the most of the time they had alone before the awaiting moment later that day, when their boss was likely to wrench the perfect relationship from their fingertips. Catherine felt Nick wrap his arm further around her small waist as he continued to hold her hand against his chest. She never wanted this moment to end and as she felt tears well up in her eyes, Catherine found herself throwing her spare arm around Nick's shoulders, desperately clinging to him with the fear that if she let go she may never be able to hug him again. Nick was slightly overwhelmed by her reaction. It had been a shaky twenty four hours for the strawberry blonde and he hadn't wanted to make matters worse by telling her about Ecklie. The news was just as much of a disappointment for him and he sighed heavily, holding her hand tightly in his against his chest as he remembered the conversation.

_Nick watched with a smile as Lindsay practically inhaled the lunch he had just rustled up in the large kitchen of Catherine's house. For such a petite figure he couldn't believe how quickly and how much she could eat. He was reminded momentarily of a time twenty years ago when Catherine had been pregnant with Lindsay. They'd just finished processing a scene at a remote hotel room on the outskirts of the city when he suggested they picked up something to eat. Catherine had wolfed down two burgers and fries before Nick had even finished one burger. He remembered how much he'd teased the woman, and how unaffected she was by his words. They'd known each other a good few years so if anything bad was said they could never take it to heart. It had only been a couple of months previous to the scene that the two of them were on uncomfortable terms when they hadn't been talking. Catherine had broken off their affair several months ago and it had affected him a lot, turning him into the shy young man he'd been when he'd begun as a CSI. Nick remembered laughing at the playful punch she'd given him as she'd attempted to get back into his car muttering how difficult it was with a stomach the size of a small soccer ball. _

_Nick sighed slightly as he turned back to the sink to wash a couple of apples. Now Catherine was upstairs asleep, hoping to recuperate from a traumatic early morning. They'd left work imminently after Vartann had been led out of the locker room, Nick had driven himself and Catherine home in her car, the strawberry blonde having fallen asleep in the passenger's seat not long after they'd set off. Nick had then carried her into the house, relieved that Lindsay and Greg weren't in plain sight of Catherine. He knew the second they saw the bruise on the sleeping woman's neck they'd question what had happened. Nick had placed Catherine down in her bed, easing off her boots and jacket before pulling the duvet over her body and bending down to kiss her forehead. He'd spent an hour in her room, laying beside her on top of the duvet, cuddling her like she'd drowsily requested but as soon as he was sure she'd fallen asleep he decided to leave her in peace. He'd left a portable radio that he'd brought in from his car on her bedside cabinet for comfort. _

_Nick turned to see Greg step into the kitchen, sitting down at the plate of food that had been left for him with a small smile. The two men had exchanged words and were now back on good terms, Nick apologising for his over reaction in Catherine's office the previous night, Greg reassuring him that he would never let anything bad happen to Lindsay. Nick watched his colleague look at the pregnant strawberry blonde who had almost finished her plateful of sausage and mash. There was a way Greg looked at Lindsay with so much affection that made Nick feel safe in the knowledge that the relationship was genuine. Nick cleared his throat as his cell rang and he picked it out of his pants pocket:_

_NICK: Stokes._

_His stomach plummeted as he heard the familiar tone of Ecklie, the man's voice sounding angry and pissed off. He could immediately sense what he was going to say:_

_ECKLIE: Nick, it's Conrad. I've just had Lou Vartann in here claiming that you and Catherine are in a relationship. You know the rules-_

_Nick closed his eyes, sighing in frustration as the voice of his boss echoed throughout the kitchen. This was not turning out well. He looked over at Lindsay and Greg, both of whom had put down their cutlery and were now staring at Nick with their mouths open in fear and shock:_

_NICK: -Ecklie-_

_ECKLIE: -I don't want to hear what you have to say yet, Nick. As soon as you start your shift I want to see you in my office. Tell Catherine I'll see her after. _

_Nick sighed as the phone went dead and he slammed his cell down on the kitchen work surface, frustration and fear pumping round his body. How was he going to tell Catherine?_

Catherine peeled her arm from around Nick's shoulder and looked into his eyes, wiping the tears from her cheeks in the hope that she could remain strong during such a worrying time. Her heart skipped a beat for a moment as Nick removed his hand from hers, cupping her cheek before bringing his lips to hers. They kissed tenderly, the tears that Catherine had missed made the kiss wet as the couple relished the first kiss they had shared since leaving Nick's apartment the day before. The idea of having to give up this connection, this feeling of finding 'the one' after years of searching and denying was too much for either of the CSI's to lose and as they parted they both took deep breaths, sad smiles wiping over each others faces as Catherine continued to stare into his dark brown eyes, her hand caressing his chest.

CATHERINE: So…

She watched as Nick took another deep breath before taking hold of her hand against his chest again. She knew he didn't want to end things between them anymore than she did. The idea of not being able to continue what they'd finally found was heartbreaking, but Catherine knew if they continued to have a relationship outside of work, then they'd be put on opposite shifts resulting in them rarely being able to spend time together. It would ruin all that they had. And it was all because of Vartann. It was her fault, if she hadn't agreed to go for breakfast with the Detective that morning a couple of months ago, if she hadn't continued to see him despite his imminent violence then there wouldn't have been any extra complication. She and Nick would have been together months before now. Maybe Lindsay would've felt grounded enough to tell the two of them about her pregnancy. Then Ecklie wouldn't have known, nor Sara, nor anybody else for that matter because it would've been their secret. Like the affair they had had twenty years ago. Just a secret.

CATHERINE: …What do we do now?

Catherine furrowed her brow slightly as a small smile grew on Nick's face. She wasn't sure how he could smile at a time like this. Yes, usually the grin put her mind at rest, it made her happy and content. If he looked confident then she felt confident, like she was an extension of him. But she couldn't quite understand his reaction to her question, unless of course he had an idea. Her heart skipped a beat as he shot her a look as though what he was saying would be the best plan in the whole world:

NICK: We lie.

* * *

**Well what's Ecklie gonna say? And how are Nick and Catherine gonna lie?**

**Thanks for the comments guys :) hope you're still enjoying x **


	27. The Lie

Catherine sat on the cold stiff seat, adjusting her body position every now and again as she attempted to look calm and relaxed. But she was secretly panicking. She'd been sat outside Ecklie's office for just over twenty minutes going over what she was going to say in her head while she waited for her boss to finish interrogating Nick, but the more she repeated her story the less convincing it sounded. Maybe if she told a bit more of the truth then Ecklie would understand? Catherine shook her head as she thought about it. Telling a bit more of the truth would mean that her story wouldn't be the same as Nick's, and it was important that the two of them kept their stories the same so they sounded believable.

Catherine jumped as she heard Ecklie's office door open and she looked up at Nick who stepped past Ecklie, giving her a tiny wink out of sight of their boss before walking down the corridor towards the elevator. Catherine couldn't help watching him go, maintaining a straight face so as not to give the man stood in front of her any ammunition to accuse her with.

ECKLIE: Catherine.

Catherine stood up, straightening the black suit she had chosen to wear that afternoon, before stepping through the door into the office. She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm her nerves before sitting down on the chair that stood before a desk, watching Ecklie as he sat in a chair opposite her to gather some papers together. She watched as he raised his eyebrows with a sigh, clearly unimpressed and as he spoke, Catherine had this sinking feeling all was not going well:

ECKLIE: So…you and Nick.

Catherine was unnerved by the words that had been spoken as more of a statement. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to respond to what he had said, but for fear of saying the wrong thing she remained silent as Ecklie looked at her for the first time since she'd entered the room. She watched as the man sighed again, rubbing his head that bragged a receding hairline before picking up a particular piece of paper that seemed to have notes scribbled on them.

ECKLIE: Lou had a lot to say about the two of you.

CATHERINE: I'm sure he did.

Catherine couldn't help the words from leaving her lips. She was still very angry with the Detective for telling tales that didn't concern him anymore. She watched nervously as her boss read to her from the notes:

ECKLIE: He claimed that you and Nick are currently in a relationship and have been for years…

Catherine continued to look at her boss as he paused to see her reaction. Her straight face remained unreadable so Ecklie resumed his eyes onto the piece of paper in his hand, his eyebrows raising as he continued to read:

ECKLIE: …and he heard Nick referring to Lindsay as his daughter. So…?

Catherine sat herself further up on the seat, she knew all the tricks of the trade when catching a liar was the game. So she made sure she continued to look Ecklie in the eye with no sudden movements, she wanted to be believed. She sighed as she chose her words carefully, some of them were ones she'd rehearsed before, some of them were off the top of her head:

CATHERINE: Nick and I had a one night stand twenty years ago.

ECKLIE: Just a one night stand.

Catherine watched her boss stare at her with a look of disbelief. She didn't blame him, the way she and Nick were around each other it would be impossible to believe that the two colleagues could just have a one night stand then leave it at that. But that's what they _had_ done. It was the truth.

CATHERINE: Just one night. I fell pregnant with Lindsay but was still married to Eddie so believed she was his.

She watched as Ecklie took a note of what she had said on a different piece of paper that already had notes on it. She wondered if they were notes from Nick's meeting and whether they matched her own. She couldn't quite see how they wouldn't match. There was a pause in the conversation as Ecklie looked back up at Catherine's straight face. He rolled his hand a little with the intention to encourage her to continue but as she remained silent he forced a few words out:

ECKLIE: So…why did Nick refer to Lindsay as his daughter if she's Eddie's?

Catherine hadnt meant to let out the long sigh that escaped her lips, but she couldn't help feeling nervous at revealing her answers. She was having to tell her boss things that she'd never wanted to tell him and she spoke slowly hoping that her nerves weren't mirrored through her words:

CATHERINE: Because Nick's her biological father.

Catherine watched as Ecklie scrunched up his face in confusion. She was pretty sure she'd gone off track already on saying her prepared words and was running more along the lines of telling the truth. But so far so good, Ecklie hadn't started yelling or telling her she could never work with Nick again. Well not yet anyway. Catherine found herself continuing to talk without realising what she was saying:

CATHERINE: As I'm sure you'll remember, Lindsay did some work experience here before Christmas. Well, during that time she'd been shown how DNA works and…well she did her own test…

Catherine half expected her boss to fly off the handle right there and then, lecturing her about how the facilities in the department weren't there for just anybody to use, least of all someone on work experience. But instead Ecklie just took a deep breath, nodding slightly as he noted something else down on "Nick's" piece of paper.

ECKLIE: So Lou was right. Lindsay _is_ Nick's daughter.

CATHERINE: Yes.

She watched as the man before her shook his head with disappointment, sighing as he sat back in his chair whilst looking at her:

ECKLIE: I don't know Catherine, I mean Gill broke the rules when he became involved with Sara, I almost expected him to screw up at some point and he did. But you've kept this relationship with Nick a secret for so long its made me even more surprised. I never saw it coming, especially from someone as professional as you.

CATHERINE: Nick and I aren't in a relationship.

Catherine had spoken confidently, almost surprising herself at how self-assured the lie had sounded as it left her lips. She watched as Ecklie paused, furrowing his brow slightly as though attempting to read her mind but she knew he wouldn't be able to get past her steely face.

ECKLIE: Then why would Lou claim that you are? He's always been reliable in the past, why not now?

CATHERINE: A reliable man wouldn't fly off the handle and do this to a colleague would he.

Catherine watched Ecklie shuffle uncomfortably in his chair as she motioned to the bruises on her neck. She'd called his bluff, and it was hardly on purpose. She knew the man opposite her would soon have to start an investigation into the situation, if he hadn't already.

CATHERINE: Lou and I dated for a couple of months over Christmas and New Year. I ended it when he became violent. He had no idea that Nick was Lindsay's Dad until yesterday. He got jealous. That was when he grabbed me. He never gave me a chance to explain that Nick and I weren't together.

Catherine watched nervously as Ecklie took a deep breath, raising his eyebrows in surprise with the information overload she had just given to him in such a short space of time. She ran her fingertips over her sweaty palms as she watched him write some more notes down on the "Nick" piece of paper before looking over at the other sheet in his hand, presumably comparing the notes from Vartann's story in comparison to her own. Without looking up from the papers he spoke, causing Catherine to jump slightly:

ECKLIE: And you're not together?

CATHERINE: Conrad.

She watched as he looked up at her. This was it. The biggest lie she may ever tell in her entire life. And she was going to do it by looking him straight in the eye:

CATHERINE: We're just colleagues and good friends. There's no romance involved, there never has been, not even the night that Lindsay was conceived. It was all just a drunken mistake. We're just trying to be mature adults and attempt to make sure that our daughter gets the best, most normal life possible. You know what I mean.

The last sentence was a stab in the dark at getting him on her side. She knew she'd have to make a personal reference to his life if he was to believe what she was saying. Ecklie and his ex-wife had divorce several years ago, a reasonably amicable divorce despite his other half winning the house, both cars and most of his life savings. They'd kept it as civil as possible in their children's best interest, wanting the kids to know that their parents loved them very much even if they weren't together any more. She watched in anticipation as Ecklie clearly mulled over what she'd just said. It was everything she and Nick had planned to say.

_Catherine pulled her car up outside Nick's house, turning the engine off before taking a deep breath. They'd just spent the past hour trying to convince Lindsay that everything was going to be okay, but their daughter hadn't been so sure. She'd heard how angry Ecklie had been on the phone to her father. Nick and Catherine had discussed what they'd tell their boss till it was all they were thinking about, and Catherine had felt confident that everything __would__ be okay. But after Lindsay's reaction she was starting to have doubts. What if Ecklie didn't believe her? What if she crumbled under the pressure resulting in her story not matching Nick's? Suddenly she felt a hand fold itself over her hand and squeeze it reassuringly._

_NICK: Everything's going to be okay._

_Catherine sighed heavily, feeling slightly at ease thanks to Nick's contact. She could never understand how, but whenever he was near her or held her she always felt calm, or calmer than however she had been feeling before. Now was no exception and as she turned to look at Nick who sat in the passenger seat of her car, she couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her face. His dark brown eyes bore into hers and she squeezed his hand with a small nod._

_CATHERINE: Yeah._

_They were due to start their shift in an hour, but knew they would have to arrive in the department at different times just to divert any suspicion. Catherine had driven Nick back to his house so he could pick up his car and drive it into work. It felt weird to know that they hadn't really left each other's side for almost 48 hours. A good weird. And as Nick leaned towards her Catherine felt another wave of sadness rush over her at the thought that this may be the last time they could say goodbye like this. As his lips gently touched hers she brought her hand up to his hair, enjoying the feel of the short brown locks between her fingertips, deepening the kiss as she did so. Neither of them pulled apart, neither of them wanted to. Even though they had told each other this wouldn't be the end, a small part inside both of them had somehow persuaded them that it may actually be the end of a very short, very perfect relationship. Either personally or professionally._

ECKLIE: Okay, well the connection the two of you have with Lindsay clearly hasn't affected your performances at work.

Catherine couldn't help the feeling of elation at the words that left her boss' mouth, even with the stern expression he was shooting her:

ECKLIE: So I'm going to keep these interviews on record and take no further action, _for now_.

Catherine was trying desperately to listen to what he was saying but the sound of the heartbeat rushing into her ears drowned Ecklie's voice to a mere whisper. They were off the hook. Everything was going to be okay. So long as they kept things as they were at work, she and Nick were going to be able to keep their private life a secret.

ECKLIE: But if I hear anything else regarding you and Nick, or if I see that this whole past between the two of you is affecting the way the grave shift runs, then I _will_ be forced to move you to the swing shift Catherine.

Catherine forced back the smile that so desperately wanted to reveal itself and nodded instead, keeping her composure. She couldn't wait to go back to the department and tell Nick how this meeting had gone. He'd been right all along, everything _was_ going to be okay.

ECKLIE: Now, I'm sorting out an investigation regarding Lou and what he did…

Catherine watched as he motioned towards her, knowing he was talking about Vartann's reaction in the locker room the previous morning, but couldn't quite understand why Ecklie hadn't actually said it. Possibly for the same reason why Brass hadn't reacted quite as aggressively when he'd taken Vartann out of the locker room. Both men seemed so shocked that the Detective had reacted the way he had.

ECKLIE: He's on temporary suspension until the investigation is finished and we've come to a clear verdict.

Catherine watched as Ecklie looked at the clock that hung on the wall behind him. She hadn't really thought about what would happen to Vartann. She'd been a little too worried about what was going to happen to herself and Nick.

ECKLIE: I've already spoken to Jim and taken his statement. I just need to speak with Sara, who should be waiting outside now.

Catherine watched as Ecklie stood up in his seat and she followed suit, surprised that he wasn't wanting to take her statement too. But when she thought about the previous twenty minutes she realised she'd already spoken about what had happened in the locker room, so maybe she wouldn't need to make a formal statement? She followed Ecklie to the door of the office and he opened it for her, looking almost apologetically:

ECKLIE: I'll speak to you a bit later.

Catherine stepped out of the office, taking a deep breath as she looked over at Sara who was sat nervously on the cold, stiff seat she had once been sat on. The brunette gave her a small smile as she stood up:

SARA: Are you okay?

Catherine nodded, before motioning towards the end of the corridor at the elevator she was planning to take down to the CSI department. She noticed Sara looking at her neck in pain, and she kicked herself that she hadn't made a better effort to hide the bruising despite the heavy amount of concealer that Lindsay had given her.

CATHERINE: I'm fine. I'll catch up with you a bit later.

She didn't mind that Ecklie could hear her. She wasn't saying anything that would get her or Sara into trouble, and she began walking down the corridor, a small spring in her step as she heard Ecklie close the door to his office. Everything was going to be okay.

* * *

**Sorry its been so long since I've updated..I've kinda been a bit pre-occupied with work and I also recently got engaged so just trying to come back to reality from that excitement :)**

**:0 Who saw the diamond Nick/Catherine scenes the other week (from 'that Bieber episode' "Targets of Obsession")?  
****Oh when they were at the hospital and he said to her "You're always taking care of me...how about I take care of you for a change?" and I felt sure she was gonna say "Nah, you dont have to worry about me." But by gum, the steely hard-core Catherine we know and love just gave him a flirty little smile while muttering "Okay" then pulling him into the tightest hug I swear she's ever given anyone on the show! In all the seasons gone I cant remember her ever letting a man just 'take care of her'...that's the bit of Nicky magic ;)**

**Which makes me wonder what wonderful scene we'll get when she leaves at the end of the season..  
Totally gutted she's leaving, but intrigued to know how Nick's gonna react, after all on the show it seems as though he needs her far more than she needs him sometimes.. **

**Hope the update was worth waiting for and I'll aim to update soon, I promise! :)**


	28. The Night Club

The atmosphere in the night club was electric as hoards of people moved about to the beat of the music that echoed around the building. Lindsay perched on the edge of a seat, sipping the last of her orange juice before letting out a giggle as her boyfriend spoke clearly into her ear.

GREG: You sure you're okay here?

Lindsay nodded with a big smile plastered over her face. Of course she was. It had been her decision to come to this nightclub to celebrate her twenty first birthday. Even if she was pregnant and unable to enjoy the alcohol abuse that usually came with the territory of becoming a brand new twenty one year old, she still wanted to embrace the experience of attending her first night club legally.

GREG: How's our girl getting on?

Lindsay immediately brought a hand down to her bump which had grown quite a bit in the eight weeks since the evening her parents found out about the pregnancy and Greg. She giggled at how active her little girl was in the night club as the baby wriggled around in her belly to the beat of the music in the background. Lindsay brought her lips to her boyfriend's ear, enjoying the smell of his aftershave as she spoke loudly to him:

LINDSAY: She's bouncing around like nobody's business!

Lindsay's smile remained while Greg put a hand to her belly, his face beaming with excitement as she presumed he could feel their daughter kicking. It had been an unusual few weeks for the two of them. They had been reading up on childcare, what to do before the baby's born, as the baby is being born, once the baby's been born. Catherine had been invaluable with advice, as had Catherine's mother once she had found out. Lindsay rolled her eyes slightly as she remembered the day she announced to her grandmother that she was pregnant. Her reaction had been typical to the head-strong character that Lily possessed:

_Lindsay took a deep breath as she stood on the doorstep of her grandmother's house. She looked to her right, to her mother who stood by her side, looking just as nervous as she felt. She watched as Catherine looked back at her, forcing a small smile and a little wink in an attempt to remain strong, Lindsay could only presume. She and Catherine had given each other a few days after the reveal to get accustomed to the idea of there being a baby born into the family, to give their mother/daughter relationship some time to become close again. No more secrets. They had sat down in the kitchen for over three hours chatting, laughing, talking seriously about the future, everything the two woman had missed doing over the past years since Catherine's promotion. It was a shame to think that it had taken this pregnancy to push them together, but Lindsay was glad that it had. They'd quickly come to a mutual decision that a visit to grandma's was the only way the woman should find out fairly. So there they stood on the doorstep, with their coats buttoned up to their necks to keep out the wintry late-January chill. All of a sudden the front door was opened by Lily, dressed in her usual baggy relaxed clothing and a large floral-patterned apron._

_LILY: Hello darlings. Sorry to be a bit flustered, I just have some vegetables boiling._

_And within the blink of an eye she had disappeared, having scuttled to the back of her house where the kitchen was situated. Lindsay cautiously followed her mother, the two strawberry blondes stopping at the door of the kitchen as Lily turned the stove down, letting the bubbling vegetables simmer away. Lindsay could feel her skip a beat momentarily as she watched the sharp eyes of her grandmother flicker down to her stomach briefly before the old woman wiped her hands on a cloth, returning her eye contact to Catherine._

_LILY: So what brings me the pleasure of your company this afternoon?_

_Lindsay could hear her mother clearing her throat before feeling her elbow nudging her slightly. Lindsay could tell Catherine was nervous, possibly embarrassed, after all she was still mortified that Lindsay had managed to live in the house for so long without even realising that her own daughter was pregnant. Lindsay knew her mother was nervous about telling her grandmother, knowing full well that Lily would tell Catherine off for not using her 'motherly intuition' to find out. Suddenly a wave of bravery rushed over Lindsay as she looked into her mother's anxious eyes. It was time for her to take charge, so with a deep breath she stepped towards her grandmother and simply blurted it out, wanting to pull the band aid off right away:_

_LINDSAY: I'm pregnant._

_The kitchen fell into silence, the simmering vegetables being the only noise in the background. Lindsay could feel her face slowly begin to crease up as she waited in anticipation for Lily's imminent reaction. She had no idea how her mother had managed to do it twenty one years ago. Then again Catherine had been married, even if it was to someone Lily disapproved of. To her surprise her grandmother didn't look as shocked as she had expected her to be. In fact, the woman stood before her actually looked __relieved__ as she rolled her eyes with a small smile on her face:_

_LILY: Oh __finally__!_

_Lindsay furrowed her brow in shock. What did she mean by finally? Had she been that desperate for Lindsay to become pregnant with her great grandchild? The young strawberry blonde turned to her mother who had walked a couple of paces forward to stand beside her, a look of absolute disbelief on her face:_

_CATHERINE: What do you mean, __finally__! You've been wanting her to get pregnant? _

_The tone of Catherine's voice was definitely that of a woman taking her mother's reaction a little too out of control but Lindsay turned back to her grandmother, wondering if that was in fact what she had been wanting, but Lily was just shaking her head with a smile on her face as she walked towards Lindsay, cupping the young strawberry blonde's cheeks affectionately:_

_LILY: Oh darling, I'd worked it out weeks ago!_

_Lindsay stared at her grandmother in surprise as the woman brought her hands down, pulling her into a hug while continuing to speak:_

_LILY: I wondered when you'd find the courage to reveal everything and you've finally done it._

_Lindsay turned to Catherine as Lily stepped back. She could tell her mother was still coming to terms with the thought that the old woman had cottoned onto the whole situation long before it had even been announced, but the look on her mother's face had become slightly irritated and Lindsay could only presume that Catherine was annoyed that Lily hadn't mentioned anything before. But Lily had her hands on her hips as the two older women stood directly opposite each other both protective of the situation, having been the two major carers of Lindsay throughout the years the young strawberry blonde had been alive._

_LILY: Oh really Catherine, don't go blaming me for not telling you my presumptions sooner, because I think you'll find I __did__ subtle hint to you over Christmas._

_Lindsay furrowed her brow, wondering when her grandmother had time to talk to her mother about her physical health. As she thought back on the day all she could really remember was having her Dad over for the day and how happy she and Catherine had both been with him being in the house with them for the first time on Christmas Day._

_CATHERINE: You said she didn't seem herself…__that's__ what you call subtle hinting?_

_LILY: I thought you might have taken an extra careful look at your daughter after that. Noticed that she'd put on a little weight around her cheeks, that she was a bit more tired than usual, that she was eating double portions of practically everything at twice the speed and that her once favourite dinner of cheesy tuna bake made her feel sick because she "couldn't stand the smell of tuna anymore". She's got all the symptoms you had when you were pregnant with her. All the symptoms that I had when I was pregnant with you. The symptoms are hereditary Catherine._

_Lindsay wrinkled her nose slightly as her grandmother described the dinner, just the thought of it gave her a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. She hadn't enjoyed Lily pointing out all of the obvious pregnancy symptoms she'd been suffering over the past five months. But from the look on her mother's face, Catherine had found it twice as difficult to hear all the symptoms that had clearly directed Lily's attention to the conclusion of pregnancy. Lindsay feared from the hurt expression on her mother's face that the whole conversation was about to blow up, but before Catherine could say another word Lily heavily exhaled with a small giggle:_

_LILY: You've both had one hell of a few weeks. First Nick, now this._

_Lindsay watched in confusion as small smiles appeared on her mother and grandmother's faces. The two women weren't ones for holding grudges against each other, it was how they had maintained such a healthy close relationship despite rarely having time to see or talk to each other during the weeks that went by. But what Lindsay wondered was if it was the pregnancy that put a smile on their faces or the mention of Nick? The relaxed, slightly embarrassed smile on her mother's face answered her question with her grandmother re-enforcing the fact:_

_LILY: How's he finding all of this?_

_CATHERINE: Heeee's…pretty excited actually._

_Excited was an understatement. Lindsay had walked through the door of the house the day before to find Nick and Catherine in the living room sifting through bag-fulls of pink baby outfits that they had bought earlier that day. The way the two of them were acting it was as though they were expecting the baby themselves. They were both as bad as each other._

GREG: Here they are.

Lindsay held her hand out as Greg gently helped her off the seats they had been saving, before stepping forward slightly to receive a huge hug from her mother as her father shook hands with Greg. Nick and Catherine had had to compromise working the swing-shift that day to be able to get the night off to celebrate their daughter's birthday. Lindsay could tell it had stressed them out trying to persuade their boss to give them both the same night off. She didn't know the full ins-and-outs, but from the way her boss had spoken down the phone to Nick in the kitchen eight weeks ago regarding his relationship with her mother, she knew their boss was a man who probably took things quite out of proportion. What mattered now was that they were here, both with huge beaming smiles as Catherine pulled away from Lindsay to stand beside Nick.

CATHERINE: Happy Birthday sweetie.

NICK: Happy Birthday Linds.

Lindsay couldn't help the smile that was spread across her face as she watched her father put an arm around the shoulders of her mother. It made her happy to see them so relaxed and seemingly stress free. There was a time when Catherine would wear heels at every opportunity, whether it was at work, at home, or out and about, and Lindsay had never like it. It was always as though her mother was trying to get the extra height so she could look down on her in an authoritive way. Lindsay knew her mother had a bit of an insecurity about her height. She could understand why it was important to have a bit of height as a superior member of staff at work, but she could never get her head around her mother's need for heels around the house. Right now however, Catherine stood before her in small pumps giving a half inch boost, but just enough to match Lindsay's height. It was as though they were equals. Over the past several weeks Catherine had become more comfortable with wandering the house in bare feet or slippers, and wandering down to the shops in trainers. It seemed that since starting a relationship with Nick she wasn't worried about her height anymore. Lindsay smiled to herself while her mother smiled lovingly as Nick said something in her ear. It was as though Catherine was happy just the way she was, that she didn't need that extra boost in height to be appealing. And seeing her mother happy made Lindsay very happy.

CATHERINE: We're going to get some drinks in. What you drinking?

LINDSAY: Just an Orange Juice.

GREG: Cola.

Lindsay laughed at her parents reaction as Greg held up his empty glass. Catherine had furrowed her brow but Nick had opened his mouth wide in shock, both had frozen on the spot despite the fast paced music. Lindsay snuggled into Greg's shoulder as he put an arm around her and she placed a hand on her bump to emphasis what she was saying:

LINDSAY: Greg's decided not to go down the alcohol route tonight so I don't feel left out for my own birthday celebrations.

Lindsay watched as her parent's face softened, Catherine looked up at Nick briefly with an "aww, bless him" expression on her face before taking a little step closer to her daughter, having to yell over the music to be heard:

CATHERINE: You know your Dad did that one time when I was pregnant with you.

Both Lindsay and Greg leaned forward to hear more about a tiny anecdote from the past. Greg was of course desperate to hear how long his two colleagues had harboured such romantic feelings for each other, recently it had seemed as though a switch had been turned on for them and they were suddenly all over each other when they weren't at work. But for Lindsay she was desperate to hear about Nick's involvement with her mother's pregnancy, after all it was nice to know he'd been there sometimes.

CATHERINE: It was our department Christmas party. I was about six months pregnant with you at the time Linds, and I'd been telling your father how much I hated the idea of being the only sober one there for the whole night, so my plan was to just attend the meal then go home before it got too out of hand.

Lindsay felt a smile grow across her face as she pictured her Mum, reasonably pregnant, waddling around a lab room while muttering to her Dad about the Christmas party. She could imagine his reaction too, and her mother's verbal analysis helped as Catherine snaked her arm around Nick's waist while looking up at him affectionately:

CATHERINE: And your father made a deal with me that if I attended the whole party until the end of the night he would keep me company and not drink either.

Lindsay watched Greg from the corner of her eye as he quickly looked at her while her parents shared a short kiss. He was still struggling to see the two of them together as a couple, particularly as he was having to keep his supervisor's relationship a secret at work. He'd told Lindsay how difficult he found it to see them as two separate colleagues at work, when he knew they were a couple and his in-laws outside of work.

NICK: Right, so a cola and an orange juice.

Lindsay nodded before watching her parents wind their way through the thick crowd of party-goers towards the bar, Nick leading the way, guiding Catherine behind him while gripping onto her hand. Lindsay sighed happily as she took a seat beside Greg, rubbing her hand over her bump thoughtfully by habit as she watched people in front of her dancing, talking and laughing. Nick had moved into the house recently. Lindsay remembered the first morning she'd summed up that he practically had, only three weeks after the Ecklie interrogations:

_Lindsay stood over the bowl of hot porridge, inhaling the sweet scent of chocolate drops that she'd stirred into the mixture. She'd been looking forward to breakfast all night, to the point that she'd got up at six just to make herself a hot chocolate to tide her over until a more reasonable time. Today was the first day of her week off work and she couldn't wait to do nothing. Sitting about catching up on DVD box-sets she got for Christmas, a bit of shopping and planning for baby. And who knows by the end of the week she may have messed up her sleeping patterns enough trying to see more of Greg when he wasn't at work. Well, that was the hope. She looked up at the clock and sighed in relief. Eight o'clock. If she hadn't been off this week she would've been at work right now, ready to start the recently set-up breakfast service at the restaurant. She blew the steam off the top of her first spoonful of porridge before putting it in her mouth as she heard her mother turn her key and open the front door. The huge bang the door made as it hit the coat stand behind it made Lindsay jump and she slowly made her way round the island in the middle of the kitchen, through the double doors into the living room and over to the door that lead out to the hallway. She froze in her tracks as she stared in horror at the sight of her parents passionately making out against the (now closed) front door, her mother's legs wrapped strategically around her fathers hips, with buttons being quickly undone all over the place as the couple quickly kissed and sucked every piece of the other's lips, earlobes, cheeks, neck, chest... The spoon that Lindsay held slipped from her grasp and landed with a loud clash on floor of the hallway but she didn't stoop down to pick it up. Instead she watched as her parents paused their actions and slowly turn to see her stood in the hallway. Lindsay raised her eyebrows in surprise. She hoped they had forgotten she was on holiday this week and that this wasn't going to be repeated any more times that she was off._

_CATHERINE: Lindsay…_

_Lindsay couldn't help the small smile that crept onto her face as she watched her mother's cheeks flush bright red with embarrassment while she peeled her legs from around Nick's waist and straightened her clothing. But she failed epically due to her shirt being mostly unbuttoned and her arm already out of it. Her lip gloss was smudged all over her face not to mention all over Nick's, who had hidden all the bits of him he needed to hide behind Catherine as he quickly stood behind her, clearing his throat in embarrassment. The two of them looked like teenagers caught by a parent, they looked a mess and had guilty expressions on their faces._

_CATHERINE: …we…erm…weren't expecting you to be home…till later. Your Dad was just saying goodbye._

_Lindsay rolled her eyes as she stooped down carefully and picked the spoon up off the floor. She wasn't stupid. The signs that Nick now lived here were all over the place. Not only did her mother end up washing most of his clothes, the clothes actually stayed in the house and were ironed then hung up neatly in Catherine's closet. Lindsay couldn't remember the last time she had seen her mother in the house without Nick being far behind. Lindsay was surprised, after all she knew Catherine wasn't one for rushing into a relationship but things seemed to be going speedily for her parents. Maybe it was because they weren't getting any younger, or that they'd done all the 'getting-to-know-you' over the many years they'd known and worked together, or maybe it was that they were trying to make up for all the time they'd lost over the past twenty one years, Lindsay wasn't sure. What she was sure though, was how nice it was to have the house feeling more like a home. To be part of a proper family. With a Mom (like she'd always had), and a Dad to protect and love the family too. Now all they needed was a dog-_

_LINDSAY: I'm on holiday this week Mom. I thought you would forget._

_She raised her eyebrows, pointing at Nick with a small smile._

_LINDSAY: And he's not been at his place in almost three weeks, he may as well move in._

And moved in Nick had. Within two days he'd moved most of his necessities over to Catherine's. The house felt like even more of a home now there were more mis-matched items. Lindsay smiled as she thought how nice it was being able to chat with someone around the house other than her Mom. Nick added a new dynamic to the family. He'd surprised her at how good he was with jokes and quick one liners. Since he'd moved in the mood of the house seemed lighter. Catherine was looking the best she'd ever done, refreshed, relaxed and happy every morning when they got in from work and every afternoon when they got up. But it may have been because nothing was a secret anymore. Everyone in the house knew Lindsay was pregnant. That she was dating Greg. Nick now knew that Catherine loved him. Catherine now knew that Nick loved her. It's had become the perfect place to live.

GREG: I'm just gonna run to the bathroom. Will you be okay?

Lindsay nodded, taking a kiss on the lips before her boyfriend quickly jumped up from the seat and squirmed his way through the crowd towards the bathroom. She smiled as she watched him go. He was so perfect, he'd been so excited about this baby coming with every day that passed and he'd practically redecorated his whole apartment making it child friendly and child safe. He'd changed so many things, his apartment, his car, his lifestyle and it was all for her and this baby. He was willing to become the perfect father to a child he will always know deep down isn't biologically his. Lindsay snapped out of her daydream as she felt a body sit next to her and the strong smell of beer eked into her nostrils giving her a nauseous feeling. As she turned to look at the figure beside her she felt the blood drain from her face, her blue eyes catching the crafty green eyes of her ex-boyfriend. He had a sloppy grin on his face, confirming that he had been drinking excessively, something she'd already known from his scent.

LINDSAY: Jamie…

She hadn't seen him since he'd dumped her, back in September when she'd told him she was pregnant. It had taken a lot of time for her to forget him and it was mostly thanks to Greg that she had. But all of a sudden, seeing him beside her now, looking into those green eyes that she'd used to love about him, reminded her of how scared she used to be of him. How scared she should be of him now. She looked around her, towards the bathrooms then towards the bar but her views were blocked by the hoards of people. She was trapped. Her heart began to race as he lolled an arm over her shoulders and brought his face close to hers:

JAMIE: How've you been Linds? Not seen you in ages.

LINDSAY: What are you doing here?

She watched as Jamie threw his hands in the air in mock-surprise, before taking a big swig from his beer bottle, then returning his arm around her:

JAMIE: It's a free world babe. I'm allowed to go wherever I want. You just so happen to be here too.

Lindsay felt sick with the smell of beer and quickly stood up to make her way towards the bar. If she found her parents she'd be safe. Nick would sort this guy out in seconds. She just had to get to the bar. But her hand was quickly caught as she was pulled back by Jamie who had stood up to follow her, to stop her. She watched in dismay as he stared in horror at her bump.

JAMIE: What's that doing there? I thought you were going to get rid of it?

LINDSAY: Why because its yours? I'm not that irresponsible.

She watched with satisfaction as Jamie stared at her, lost for words. Lindsay found herself inspecting his appearance, realising just how different her taste in men had changed since meeting Greg. Jamie wore the same old white vest that showed off his toned, muscled figure and his blonde hair, something that Lindsay knew Greg wouldn't dream of wearing because he wasn't that egotistical. She was glad her ex could see she was still pregnant. It showed that she was in control of her life and her decisions now, not like before when Jamie would force her into doing things she didn't want to do or go to places she didn't want to go to. So many night's since their split she'd laid awake with worry as to what would happen should she run into him again, but so far so good. No violence. No unnecessary shouting. No spitting or hair pulling. They were almost talking like adults.

JAMIE: I'm not irresponsible. Not anymore. Come on Linds, lets give it another go, for the baby.

Lindsay couldn't help her jaw from dropping. The idea of creating a 'life' with this guy was impossible competition compared to Greg. She turned on her heels, tears beginning to well up in her eyes, her breath becoming short with fear. If nobody turned up to help her soon she would be in some serious trouble. She began to make her way through the crowd as she heard a smash of glass, presumably where Jamie's rage got the better of him and chucked the beer bottle on the floor of the nightclub. She'd barely got a couple of paces towards the bar before being pulled back once again. All of a sudden she felt the breath being squeezed out of her as the man forcefully pulled her against him and kissed her heavily. No amount of pushing away could stop him and the excruciating pain in her arms from the tight grip of his hands were suddenly all she could think about as she slowly lost her breath.

*Bam*

In an instant he let go. Lindsay heard the sound of fist meeting jaw before looking down at Jamie in a small pile on the floor, groaning in pain. As she gasped for air she became comforted by the smell of her mother's perfume and to her relief she felt the comforting arms of Catherine wrap themselves around her protectively as Nick and Greg stood between their women and the intruder. She looked into the bright blue eyes of her mother's worried face as Catherine stroked her cheek and pushed the strawberry blonde hair from the young woman's face in concern.

CATHERINE: Lindsay, are you okay?

Lindsay exhaled heavily in relief that she was finally safe and nodded slowly as her mother began taking out her CSI ID, following in the tracks of Nick and Greg who already had theirs out, ready to freak the young man out with their authority. But all of a sudden Lindsay heard a gasp come from her mother's mouth as Jamie stood up and dusted himself down:

CATHERINE: No.

Lindsay looked from her mother's expression, to the way Nick and Greg looked at each other in worry, over to Jamie's expression and suddenly her stomach plummeted as she got the sinking feeling that they'd all met Jamie before.

* * *

**I just had to get this chapter out of my system. It's been in the plans since I came up with the idea for this fic over 15 months ago. It's been a long 28 chapters to get to it!  
Next chapter will be Nick and Catherine orientated as this one's been a Lindsay orientated one :)  
Hope you're still enjoying the fic xx**

**(ps. Nan3da, you're English is fab :] I only wish I could speak/write in another language! Thank you for your support and comments x)**


	29. The Christmas Party

The low rumble of the bass beat shook the core of Nick's body as he stepped past the bouncers that stood at the top of the stairs, and he teetered on the top step patiently waiting as the heart of the nightclub lay at the bottom in anticipation. Something about the impending loud music and a large room full of strangers heightened his senses, the smell of alcohol and smoke drifting its way up the staircase towards him, the owner of those smells entering or leaving the room below. As a young man covered in tattoos came walking up the stairs towards him, Nick automatically stood up straight, puffing his chest out as a form of defence despite the man taking no notice and walking straight past him. Nick felt his body relax as a soft hand smoothed its way across the small of his back and his nostrils were filled with a blossomy smell causing a smile to grow on his face. He turned to his right as the calm voice of his girlfriend trickled into his ear:CATHERINE: You okay?

Nick gave her a little nod and a grin as he felt her hand wrap in his, and together they slowly walked down the stairs towards the booming nightclub below. He could feel her hand tighten around his as they approached the opening to the giant club. They'd both been at this venue before, a few years ago, investigating a homicide that had involved uncovering some very unsanitary conditions throughout the club. Since then the management had all changed and the club had gained its respect again, or so they had heard. There was only one reason that would bring them back here and that was for one person and one person only, Lindsay. Catherine stepped up on her tiptoes and yelled over the loud dance music into Nick's ear:

CATHERINE: This really isn't my idea of a good night out…

Nick couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his face as he looked down at her and raised his eyebrows sarcastically as he yelled clearly back towards her:

NICK: And you think it's mine?

His heart skipped slightly as he watched her laugh out loud and he imagined what it sounded like, the music in the nightclub being so loud that he couldn't quite hear it clearly. He watched her shake her head slightly, her sweet smile still laying on her face as she looked out into the crowed. Nick had told her a couple of months ago just how much he liked her at her natural height, and since then he'd noticed just how often she wore flat shoes. He hadn't anticipated just how protective it would make him feel towards her now they were stood at the opening of the nightclub, getting ready to delve through the thick mass of dancing bodies to try and find their daughter and her boyfriend. He nodded as Catherine motioned in the direction of the bar, and moved closely behind her as she led him by the hand through the sea of people. His eyes moved from person to person as they made their way slowly along, not trusting any of them for a moment as he halved his concentration on them, the other half on the hand that clung to his, guiding him in the right direction. He watched as his girlfriend turned to flash him a little smile before continuing forward, clearly more relaxed with him than she had been the other day after an unfortunate case of crossed wires:

_Nick stepped out of the elevator and slowly proceeded along his department floor, looking up from some documents in his hand as the figure of Ecklie appeared beside him with a disapproving look on his face. Nick knew that this look was regarding the request form he'd left on his boss' office desk earlier in the shift._

_NICK: Everything alright Ecklie?_

_He knew it was a useless question, one that the balding man's facial expression had already answered. Of course the man wasn't okay, and Nick held his breath at his boss' impending words:_

_ECKLIE: Care to tell me what you and Catherine are up to on the thirtieth to request the night off at the same time?_

_Nick looked the man in the eye as they continued to walk down the corridor. Lindsay had insisted that she'd wanted both her parents to join her and Greg for a night out to celebrate her twenty-first birthday. An insistence that both Nick and Catherine knew would cause tension amongst the lab, particularly with Ecklie. The whole point of having an Assistant Supervisor was so that person could cover the shift if the Supervisor was away. But in this instance both Supervisor __and__ Assistant Supervisor wanted the same shift off. A request that had never been granted in all the years that CSI had been running. It just didn't happen. But they'd promised Lindsay they'd do everything they could to get the night off together, so had given it a go, both placing requests down on Ecklie's desk that day while he was out. Now Ecklie had caught up with Nick and now Nick had to explain._

_NICK: It's our daughter's twenty-first birthday. She wants us to celebrate it with her._

_He stopped as Ecklie raised his eyebrows disapprovingly. He could tell his boss smelt a rat, that he was still on edge about the whole revelation of Lindsay's paternity, which had meant Ecklie had spent an extra careful eye on the two Supervisors over the past couple of months._

_NICK: Look, its just one shift, we've given you plenty of notice and its not like I ask for shifts off every week…_

_ECKLIE: You know the reason why I'm dubious, Nick. If it was just you asking to have the night off I wouldn't have a problem, but Catherine too-_

_The conversation was cut short as Nick heard his cell ring, a call he was a little reluctant to answer considering the company. But he watched Ecklie peer over his shoulder at the caller I.D. and sigh frustratingly before motioning at Nick to answer it, to which Nick reluctantly obliged:_

_NICK: Hey Catherine._

_CATHERINE: Hey Nicky, where about's are you?_

_Nick tried to remain as composed as possible as he began to continue down the corridor again, with Ecklie following closely. There was a flirty tone to her voice that made Nick feel nervous as he watched Ecklie look from him to the phone desperately listening out to what the woman had to say as though hoping to catch his colleagues in the act of something._

_NICK: Erm…I'm walking through the department, just come back from the morgue._

_CATHERINE: Well, I'm in the break room…do you fancy having a coffee with me? _

_Nick somehow managed to hide his awkward facial expression as his girlfriend spoke down the phone in a flirty manner. He could sense the smile on her face and it took him all of his self control not to smile back. As he looked to his right he hoped that their boss couldn't hear her end of the conversation._

_NICK: Erm…I'm actually okay._

_Nick knew he wasn't being himself towards her and it was killing him inside as he heard her hesitate, noting his unusual tone of voice:_

_CATHERINE: Oh…right…_

_Nick looked to the man walking beside him and could tell he was gradually pushing Ecklie away from the scent. He so desperately wanted to run to the break room, sit down and have a nice hot cup of coffee while staring longingly into her eyes. The times they had done that in the past. Just staring at each other with small smiles on their faces, speaking to each other about whatever case in hand but in a flirty fashion as though they could rip each other's clothes off at any second right there and then._

_CATHERINE: Is everything okay with us Nicky?_

_His heart dropped as he sensed the hurt tone in her voice. He knew he'd caught her off guard. He chose to turn away from his boss as he rounded a corner in the corridor, hoping she would understand soon, but for now he needed to lose Ecklie._

_NICK: I'll catch up with you later._

_It broke his heart to end the call abruptly and Nick hoped beyond all hope that she was strong enough to not be hurt by this unfortunate timing as he put his cell back in his pocket. His pace increased as he continued up the corridor, approaching another corner. He had to explain to her what had happened, that Ecklie was right beside him the whole time. He turned to the balding man who had come to a stop at the end of the corridor:_

_NICK: I've spoken with the guys on the swing shift, they're okay with covering our shift if we cover their's. They're okay with swapping._

_He anticipated a grand standoff between himself and the man stood before him, who would probably dismiss the suggestion categorically. But to his relief he watched as Ecklie shook his head with a shrug before walking off down a corridor opposite to the one Nick intended to take. Nick had no idea whether the shrug was a good news or bad news. But even if it would be good news, as it stood Catherine wouldn't want to have the evening off with him at all. So Nick turned on the spot and began walking, faster and faster as he heard Catherine's last worried words rattle around his head. Of course everything was okay. How couldn't it be? The past three months they had been together had been perfect. Juggling their professional life and personal life together had been much easier than either of them had anticipated. He rounded another corner, rushing into the break room breathlessly. It was empty. To his dismay he noticed two coffee mugs beside the coffee machine. Their coffee mugs. He approached them, his stomach plummeting at their empty contents, before he rushed out of the room towards the next place he knew to look._

_NICK: Catherine!_

_He stepped through the threshold of her office, her name leaving his lips almost breathlessly, as the figure he hoped he'd find sat perched on the edge of her desk, her face bore a mix of emotions: sadness, confusion, aggravation, and a little hint of surprise having not expected anyone to barge into her office without knocking. Nick closed the door behind him, slightly out of breath as he turned to his girlfriend, his face plastered with an apologetic expression._

_NICK: I'm so sorry-_

_He watched as Catherine stood up from her desk, shrugging slightly in aggravation as she picked up a couple of sheets of paper and pretended to inspect them through the lenses of her glasses:_

_CATHERINE: Like we both agreed, we need to keep things completely professional at work._

_NICK: I don't care about that. I wanted to have coffee with you, really I did but Ecklie was with me just now…I couldn't risk us getting caug-_

_He hated it when she blocked him out and refused to reveal how she was really feeling. Nick watched in frustration as Catherine turned to look at him, shaking her head slightly as she spoke in an exasperated manner:_

_CATHERINE: -You don't have to make excuses Nick, I get it. We see each other all the time inside of work as well as outside of work. I'm just getting too much for you…_

_NICK: No-_

_He watched as she delicately brought her glasses from her face with a sigh, her face had moulded into a look of deep sadness as the office fell silent. Nick knew the past couple of months had been stressful. Work had been at an all time high level of hectic and busy, both had been working overtime just to make sure all paperwork was kept up to date resulting in the time they spent at home together becoming rarer and rarer. And with the added pressure of Lindsay's pregnancy, which was a daily thought on both of their minds, neither had time to just stop to sit back and relax. And as Nick looked over at his girlfriend his heart lurched out to her. She looked so tired, exhausted and he so desperately wanted to help her. To put the smile back on her face. The couple looked into each others eyes for a moment before Catherine moved towards him, holding out the pieces of paper, her voice low with a tone of disappointment._

_CATHERINE: Here, you'll need these to file the report._

_Nick took them reluctantly. He hated that she didn't believe him, that in an instant things had become awkward between them. Were they having an…argument?_

_CATHERINE: And for future reference, it's best not to use Ecklie as an excuse. If you wanted to see less of me then just say-_

_Nick was about to protest but her sentence was cut short as a knock at the door was sounded. Catherine called out to let the person in and Nick had to admit, he'd never been so relieved to see Ecklie before now:_

_ECKLIE: Ah you're here. Following our conversation just now Nick, and taking into consideration all that you said, I'm willing to let the two of you have the evening you requested off. BUT you both need to work the swing shift that afternoon to compensate. Two of the guys from swing will help out on grave._

_Nick couldn't help the relieved smile on his face as he nodded his thanks to his boss, and once Ecklie had left he turned to Catherine who had a look of shock on her face._

_CATHERINE: Nicky, I'm so sorry._

_NICK: Didn't I tell you?_

The bass of the music continued to rumble across the nightclub and Nick could feel it vibrate through his body as he squinted through the flashing lights and people to see Catherine's strawberry blonde hair swaying across her shoulders and back as she led them up to the bar. The couple breathed a sigh of relief as they lend against the tiny strip of bar that was left untouched by the hoard of clubbers that stood, waiting impatiently to be served by the bar staff. Nick took the pause in movement to assess the people standing around them. He stood closely facing Catherine as her back leant against the bar, knowing that the closer he was to her the safer she would be. He didn't trust anyone and he knew his girlfriend could sense his caution. He felt her hand find it's way to his face and gently caress his cheek to encourage him to look at her. He looked into her deep blue eyes and despite the bass beat of the music, the feel of her lips against his ear still sent a tingle down his body as she yelled over the music to him:

CATHERINE: I've spotted them! They're over here!

He felt her hand slip its way into his and he let her lead him over to a group of tables, one of which was where their daughter sat with Greg. He couldn't help the smile that grew on his face as he watched the two before them stand up, Lindsay excitably stepping towards Catherine and giving her a huge hug as Nick shook hands with Greg.

CATHERINE: Happy Birthday sweetie.

NICK: Happy Birthday Linds.

As Catherine returned to the spot beside him, Nick put an arm around her shoulder. Three months on and he was still trying to get used to the idea that so long as they weren't at work he _could_ put his arm around her shoulder, or hold her hand, or wrap his arms around her waist, or fall asleep beside her in bed, or kiss her. His smile remained on his face as she took the hand that lolled over her shoulder, entwining her fingers in his. He looked down at her, her short stature no longer bothering her as she wore small pumps as opposed to her usual high heels. He watched as her face turned towards him, a relaxed smile spreading across her face and his heart grew as he couldn't help thinking how in love with her he was. He leaned down towards her and spoke into her ear as clearly as possibly over the loud music:

NICK: Why don't we get the drinks in?

He watched as Catherine nodded then turned to relay the information to the young couple stood in front of them. Lindsay's request wasn't a surprise, she'd been drinking cartons of orange juice everyday, something that Nick had asked Catherine about recently, wondering if it was a healthy option for their daughter to be drinking that much juice. But Catherine had instantly insisted that whatever a pregnant woman says goes, that if she wanted to drink orange juice, she should drink orange juice. Greg's answer caught both Nick and Catherine by surprise, the young man who always ordered a bottle of beer if not two during a first round, had simply answered with 'cola'.

LINDSAY: Greg's decided not to go down the alcohol route tonight so I don't feel left out for my own birthday celebrations.

Nick couldn't help the smile that returned to his face as he watched his daughter lean into Greg's shoulder as the young man smiled down at his girlfriend. He remembered what it was like to make a small sacrifice like that, after all he'd done the same thing for Catherine when she was pregnant with Lindsay all those years ago. A time when he had no idea she was carrying his child. He looked down at his girlfriend, hardly able to believe how much had happened in the twenty one years since, and the woman beside him just looked up at him with an "aww, bless him" expression on her face before turning to their daughter and talking loudly over the music again:

CATHERINE: You know your Dad did that one time when I was pregnant with you.

Nick smiled at the irony that the favour Greg was doing for Lindsay had also reminded Catherine of the two of them all those years ago. He watched as their daughter and her boyfriend stepped closer to Catherine, eager to hear more. It was easy enough for him to remember all that had happened in the past, memories that Catherine could remember too, but he kept forgetting that neither Lindsay or Greg had a clue about their past together.

CATHERINE: It was our department Christmas party. I was about six months pregnant with you at the time Linds, and I'd been telling your Dad how much I hated the idea of being the only sober one there for the whole night, so my plan was to just attend the meal then go home before it got too out of hand. And your Dad made a deal with me that if I attended the whole party until the end of the night he would keep me company and not drink either.

Nick could remember it as if it were yesterday. It was that favour that had finally drawn them back together, not completely, but back to the way it had been before she'd broken his heart, before they'd even shared their first kiss. Just back to normal. Nick watched as Catherine leaned up to him and he leaned towards her, their lips meeting as they shared a kiss that meant so much to them. There was always a particular spark about any kiss they had after reminiscing about the past, as though they were just so grateful to finally be together. That all the trouble and hurt they'd been through in the past seemed worthwhile. Nick could sense how uncomfortable the other couple felt and as the kiss ended and he turned to his daughter and Greg, he could see the young man staring awkwardly at Lindsay. The young strawberry blonde had mentioned to her parents how uncomfortable it made Greg seeing them together as a couple. Nick tried to brush the tension out of the air, continuing the conversation as normal:

NICK: Right, so a cola and an orange juice.

Nick brought his arm from around Catherine's waist and took her hand, leading her away from their daughter and Greg, who took their seats again, and towards the heaving bar. He guided Catherine to a spot in the crowd he presumed would disperse quickly and brought her in front of him, wanting to stand behind her as a form of protection. He still didn't trust anyone. He wrapped his arms around her waist as a smile still remained on her face and he leaned down to her ear and spoke into it:

NICK: What's the smile for?

Nick's heart skipped a beat as Catherine's smile grew, and she leaned her head back, speaking slowly into his ear.

CATHERINE: I was just thinking about that Christmas party all those years ago.

Nick smiled as Catherine returned her lips to his and kissed him deeply, as though she was making up for all the moments they had missed in doing so all those years ago. Nick remembered that night. He remembered everything from the smell of the perfume she'd worn, to her outfit, to the way her hair had been done, to the conversations they'd had. It had been one of the main memories he'd clung to over the years:

_NICK: Orange Juice._

_He watched Catherine smile gratefully, her eyes on the large glass that he held out to her and she thankfully received it as he beside her and placed his glass of cola on the table. He noticed her looking at it guiltily:_

_CATHERINE: You know, you can have a beer if you want Nicky. I'll be okay._

_Nick shook his head as he took a sip of cola from his glass. They'd just arrived with the rest of the members of their department at the first bar of the evening after a long meal at a Chinese restaurant. Jim and Grissom had managed to sit either side of Catherine before Nick had even had a chance to take his coat off, so he'd sadly sat on the other end of the table to her, having to make do with watching her from afar. It was far from how he'd imagined the meal to go, then again he'd imagined he'd be sitting next to her, the two of them sharing whatever they'd ordered while having their own conversation as the rest of the group drank merrily without them. He simply craved her attention. They hadn't had any chance to speak privately since she'd ended their brief affair. Now, almost four months down the line, all they spoke about was business as the only time they saw each other was at work._

_NICK: No way. I promised you I'd be your sober company for tonight, and I never go back on my word._

_He watched a nervous smile draw its way across Catherine's face as she took a sip of her orange juice and looked out onto the dance floor where their colleagues had already started staggering about to the beat of the music. He couldn't get over how big her bump had already become. She did well to wear smart yet reasonably baggy clothes for work, black as it was a slimming color or so he'd been told, but tonight she'd opted for a beautiful red dress, with a plunging neckline that showed off her increasing cleavage. Her hair had been pulled off her face, something that made Nick hopeful that she thought of him from time to time as he'd spent many years telling her just how great she looked with her hair off her face. _

_NICK: So, how's everything going?_

_He held his breath, hoping she wouldn't get angry with him for delving into the mystery surrounding their private lives, and he watched nervously as she turned to him in surprise, not meeting his eyes:_

_NICK: You know with…_

_CATHERINE: Fine. Yeah, everything's fine._

_Nick felt his heart fall as she turned away from him, her hand protectively resting on her bump as her other hand swirled the liquid in her glass. She'd never been this quiet around him before. It was as though the end of their brief affair also marked the end of their friendship, and it killed him inside. He continued to watch her as she took a deep shuddering breath and hung her head. Everything wasn't fine, he knew it, and he knew that she knew that he knew it. Before even realising what he was doing, Nick reached out and took Catherine's hand which had been resting between their glasses. He held his breath, waiting for her to tug her hand angrily away from him, but to his surprise she didn't. Instead he watched as those deep blue eyes of hers, which were tainted with tears, found their way up to his face and locked with his dark brown eyes. His heart ached as he looked deep into her eyes and longed with his whole body to be with her intimately again. Four months without much talking or interaction had made him miss her even more, rather than forget her like she'd told him to do. And by the look on her face she hadn't forgotten him either. A tiny sad smile etched its way into the corner of her mouth, and all Nick wanted to do was kiss it away. To turn it into a happy smile. But he knew he couldn't. That Catherine had chosen to stay with Eddie, as it was the right thing to do. Eddie didn't deserve to her, nor the child she was carrying. But Nick didn't want to be the one to take the unborn child away from it's father, to split up the little family just to keep himself happy. So for fear of his feelings getting in the way, Nick let go of Catherine's hand with a sad sigh._

_CATHERINE: Eddie's not hit me since I told him I was pregnant._

_The tone of her voice was that of a woman looking on the bright-side, of a woman trying to convince herself just as much as the man she sat beside that everything was okay. But Nick wasn't an idiot. He knew how powerfully violent Eddie could be, after all he'd been the one to pick up the pieces Catherine had been in after each attack. He almost grimaced at the memories he had of her with her bruised wrists, her broken ribs, the bruises on her back or neck or face. No woman deserved to be treated that way, least of all Catherine who's greatest strength was sometimes her greatest weakness. Her loyalty. She continued to stand by her husband despite his abuse, even rewarding him with a child. A child Eddie definitely didn't deserve._

_NICK: He shouldn't have been hitting you in the first place. You're his wife. He should treat you with respect. Love you, care for you, protect you…_

_Nick stopped talking. He was sick of saying the same things to her over and over again. She may have listened, but she'd never taken it into consideration. He'd suggested to her once that she leave Eddie. That she should be with him instead. They could have a wonderful house, live a wonderful life together with lots of wonderful children, and they'd be happy together. But she'd never responded, perhaps worried what Eddie would do if she left him for someone else._

_CATHERINE: He's going to stop drinking too, and smoking._

_NICK: And you believe him?_

_Nick couldn't help the small laugh that left his lips as he looked away from her in disbelief. He knew Eddie, he knew that the man couldn't go a couple of hours without some form of drink. It broke his heart to think that the man had promised his wife something he'd never be able to do. Eddie would rather give up the baby than give up alcohol and cigarettes._

_CATHERINE: Well, I have to…_

_As her words fell quietly out of her mouth, Nick turned back to her and watched as she looked sadly down at her bump, massaging it slightly with both of her hands. Nick took a deep breath. They hadn't spoken like this in a long time. They hadn't spoken about Eddie, about Catherine's marriage, about all the things Nick could give her that Eddie couldn't. Over the past four months they'd been assigned to different cases, presumably a request Catherine had made to their Supervisor, so neither had really spoken to the other. The only time they really saw each other was at the beginning of a shift when the rounds were called out or if there was a Grave Shift meeting in the break room. Nick had really missed her company. Just being on the same table as her in the restaurant earlier had meant the world to him, but being sat beside her right now, returning to the way they'd used to be before they'd even started their affair, talking about things they never talked about with anyone else was everything Nick had wanted over the past few months._

_NICK: It's been so weird not working cases with you Cather-_

_Suddenly Catherine smiled excitably while grabbing Nick's hand and bringing it to her bump, an action that alarmed the man completely. But his initial shock disapparated as soon as he felt small kicks against his hand from the baby that lay in Catherine's bump. A wave of excitement rushed over him, his sadness slipping away as he looked up at Catherine, locking eyes with her as they giggled together. _

_CATHERINE: Feel that?_

_Nick nodded, the smile on his face unable to get any bigger than it already was. It never occurred to him that the baby could kick yet. Their giggling subsided and soon the kicking stopped, causing Nick to bring his hand away from Catherine's bump. He heard her clear her throat slightly and he turned back to her as she smiled thoughtfully:_

_CATHERINE: You know…for some reason it tends to kick more when you're talking._

_Nick's heart rose as the words left her mouth. Now he wasn't one for making presumptions, but there could be only one key reason that this baby moved more when he spoke, and that must be because Catherine still had feelings for him. The baby must sense that and move about to the sound of his voice. That was surely the only logical reason, unless she had a different theory?_

_NICK: Wh…how do you know that? I mean we don't see each other that much anymore._

_CATHERINE: True. But when we're in meetings, or if you speak during rounds…I dunno, I cant explain it…it just moves._

_Nick mirrored her smile before reaching for his cola and taking a sip. It was still weird that she was pregnant. That she now had this whole new future ahead of her, a future that she'd practically confirmed he wouldn't be involved in like he'd always dreamed of when they'd been together. She was soon to give birth to a child who's father was aggressive, unloving and irresponsible, with a short fuse. Nick hated to think of the increased abuse she was likely to get once the baby was born, abuse that she would probably take quietly to protect her child. Catherine took his hand again, giving it a little squeeze as she whispered a confession into his ear delicately:_

_CATHERINE: I've really missed you Nicky._

* * *

**Sorry for a late update, it's been really difficult to sit down and get a decent chapter updated recently...I guess that always seems to happen when the series isnt on TV at the mo :) Not long till Season 12 returns in September though, cant wait!**

Hope you're all well and this chapter's still up-to-par with the story.  
Will update as soon as I can! x 


	30. The Ex Truth

Catherine finally made it to the front of the queue, a smile continuing to show across her face as she felt Nick's body against her. She knew he was being protective, that the nightclub they were in at the moment always held a memory in their minds of a very sloppy group of murders in the past. But she trusted that things were under control a few years on, and she had to admit the bar staff were swift at sorting out clubber's orders. A handsome young man of medium build appeared across the bar from them ready to take their order. Catherine looked down at his name badge that read 'Brad' and had to admit he wasn't bad looking, but for the first time in a long time she hadn't taken a double glance to wish that she were twenty years younger so she could ask him out on a date. And it was this realisation that made her so sure that Nick was 'the one'. She never looked at anyone else the way she looked at him and she never thought of anyone else, just him.

BRAD: What can I get for you beautiful?

Catherine felt herself blush as the young man flashed her a winning smile followed by a little wink, but before she could answer she heard Nick pipe up, a slight tone of aggravation in his voice:

NICK: Vodka and coke, a beer, an orange juice and a regular coke.

The barman held his hands up in defeat, walking away from them to sort out their drinks while Catherine turned her body to face Nick, an amused smile on her face. Nick wore a look of thunder as he stared at the barman, clearly annoyed that the young man had attempted to hit on his girlfriend, until she wrapped her arms around his waist, and he looked down at her as his face softened at her grin:

CATHERINE: Hey, are you… _jealous_?

Nick just shrugged as he wrapped his own arms around her waist. She thought it was funny, he'd never seemed the type to get jealous particularly now he had her. It was nice to be out with him, to have an evening off together where they knew they wouldn't be interrupted by their cell's going off with work needing them to come into the department early to help with a case. And she was pleased that she'd decided to wear her pumps, it was nice to be smaller when she was around him. She felt as though she needed to be protected that little bit more and Nick stepped up to the task brilliantly. As she stared into his eyes, inspecting the slight wrinkles that had begun to make their way around them, she thought about all the history they shared. There was over twenty years of it, all stored in their memories, their daughter being proof of a part of their history too. There was no way she would ever want to hurt him, but hurt him she had done on more than one occasion. Decisions she thought were in their best interest but in hind-sight realising they may not have been best.

_The wind whipped around the rooftop as Catherine stood at the top of her work's building, looking over the edge out onto the city skyline of Las Vegas. Tears were appearing in her eyes as she heard the familiar sound of the fire escape door squeaking open not too far from her right hand side. She held a hand over her stomach as she continued to resist the temptation to light up a cigarette, and old habit she'd not turned to in almost three months. It was often the only reason she had for coming up onto the rooftop, but this afternoon was different. She took a deep, shuddering breath as she felt a pair of arms snake their way around her waist, followed by the warm comforting smell of Nick's aftershave. Over the past month it had become routine for the two of them to meet like this just before their night shift began. As Nick planted a kiss on her neck, Catherine felt a tingle rush over her body. A shot of excitement that always hit her whenever they kissed. Several months ago they had had a one night stand, something they had both agreed was wrong considering her marriage to another man, Eddie. But in the weeks following the one night stand, Nick and Catherine had grown closer again, stealing odd moments here and there during their shift. Moments alone, in their respective trucks or on the rooftop at work. Moments when they could share kisses. Catherine was impressed it had never gone further than kissing, but the time had never been right to steal one of those moments. Nick had invited her back to his house after work on a number of occasions but she'd declined, not giving any reason. And Nick had been a gentleman enough never to ask why._

_Now they stood alone on the rooftop, the warm September breeze swirling around their bodies as Catherine tried to work out which words to say first. Her heart skipped a beat momentarily as Nick's low voice trickled its way into her ear:_

_NICK: How're you doing?_

_Catherine took a deep breath, trying to hold tears at bay. The last time she'd seen him had been earlier that day when they'd ended their last shift. He'd offered to buy her breakfast but she'd told him she wasn't feeling well and had left him outside the café he'd motioned to. Truth be told she'd been feeling sick for the past couple of months and had been trying her hardest to hide it from everyone at work, particularly from Nick. She was pregnant, a fact that scared her to her core. She had no idea how to be a mother, no idea how she was possibly going to juggle her work while taking care of a child. And what about Eddie? It was a question that rolled around her head over and over again. He'd been over the moon when she'd told him last month. He'd not laid a violent finger on her since, not wanting to harm their impending child. But what would happen when the child was born? Would he harm her again? No. He'd promised her he wouldn't. That he'd take care of the three of them, and she believed him. And for as long as she believed in Eddie, she would have to remain faithful to him too._

_Catherine peeled Nick's arms from around her waist and turned to face him, her heart racing. Standing before her was a young man who would move the earth for her, who loved her with his whole heart like he always told her. But it was this heart that she would now have to break, something she had never wanted to do, because as she'd said back to him a million times before, she loved him too. But he was young, had a brilliant career ahead of him that he'd gushed about looking forward to many times before. She didn't want to tear the dream away from him, to tell him that she'd leave her husband for him, and that the two of them could bring Eddie's child up together. The expression he wore was of nothing but utter confusion as he watched the tears begin to fall down her cheeks:_

_NICK: Hey, what's wrong?_

_The feel of his hand cupping her cheek as he wiped her tears with his thumbs became unbearable for Catherine, resulting in her tears falling faster as she sobbed, clinging onto Nick's wrist's to try and pull his hands away:_

_CATHERINE: I cant do this anymore Nicky._

_She watched as his hands dropped like lead balloons down to his side, her heart rate increased as her stomach twisted in a knot, his confused expression becoming more pained by the second as he stared into her eyes:_

_NICK: What's happened? Eddie…what's he done?_

_Catherine turned away from Nick momentarily, staring out at the cityscape as the wind picked up, quickly drying the remaining tears on her face. She took a deep shuddering breath as she felt his beautiful dark brown eyes watching her:_

_CATHERINE: Nothing…Eddie's done nothing._

_NICK: Then what Catherine?_

_Her breathing increased as her nerves got the better of her, she could hear the hurt in his voice and as she quickly turned on her heels to face the young man before her, she saw the expression on his face that matched the tone of his voice. The man she loved so much. But a man who had his whole career ahead of him. A man she knew would give anything to be with her, but she couldn't hold him back. She was doing this for his own good. She was pregnant, Eddie was over the moon, and the past few of weeks had shown that he was willing to be a good father to his unborn child. _

_CATHERINE: I'm pregnant._

_The words slipped out of her mouth. They were softer, more apologetic than when she'd said them to Eddie. It was though she felt guilty for being pregnant. Catherine's watery blue eyes watched as Nick's face fell, his eyes still inspecting her in shock. She cleared her throat:_

_CATHERINE: I'm almost three months gone. I'm telling the team tonight but I just needed to let you know first._

_She could see tears beginning to appear in his eyes as her heart rate still remained beating at a fast pace. There was silence around them but for the breeze, and for a moment the atmosphere felt calm. Catherine jumped as she heard Nick clear his throat beginning to speak words in denial:_

_NICK: That's okay. It's okay, because I could work extra hours to keep us going for a while, build up enough money for when the baby comes and then you cou-_

_CATHERINE: Nicky…_

_Her voice whispered his name, her heart falling as she heard him planning out loud, just as she imagined he would do. He stopped as he heard her voice, his face falling as he knew what she was about to say:_

_CATHERINE: I'm staying with Eddie. He's my husband, the father of this baby. He loves me and I love him-_

_NICK: -No you don't-_

_CATHERINE: -I love him, he loves me, we're married, we've got a baby on the way. Nick, we cant carry on like this-_

_NICK: Yes we can!_

_CATHERINE: No we cant because I don't love you! I don't feel anything for you!_

_Catherine stopped breathlessly as she screamed her final words in desperation. Desperate for him to listen. To get the picture. And her heart fell further as she realised just how much of the picture he'd understood. He'd tried his hardest to fight for her but now Nick stood before her a defeated man. _

_CATHERINE: Just forget about me. Forget about the past couple of months. Forget about what we had. Just move on Nicky._

_She watched his chest rise and fall in one large movement, the moment his heart probably broke, as she whispered her final few words to him. The tears continued to fall down Catherine's face as she continued to break his heart, while tears began to fall down his own face. She hadn't ever wanted to hurt him, to watch him crumble like this, to be the reason for his sadness. Not wanting to face him anymore, she walked past him, heading towards the fire exit. Catherine stopped in her tracks as he called after her:_

_NICK: Did you ever mean it? The times you said that you loved me?_

_Catherine hesitated. To tell him the truth, that she meant it every time she'd told him how much she loved him, that one day she'd pluck up the courage to leave Eddie, the truth would give Nick hope. So with a deep breath she wiped her tears, and turned to look him in the eyes:_

_CATHERINE: No._

_And with her final word she stepped into the building, her footsteps becoming quicker and quicker as she ran down to the nearest women's bathroom to sort her tearstained face before the beginning of her shift._

Catherine felt a tap on her shoulder as the barman placed the four drinks behind her and she turned to give him some money, but Nick obliged, handing several dollars to the barman. She looked up with thanks to her boyfriend as he gave her a little wink. She reached out to pick up a couple of the glasses but she was stopped in her tracks as the barman handed her a napkin with his name and number on it.

NICK: You've got to be kidding me! Listen, she's with me…

Catherine couldn't help the smile on her face as Nick claimed her as his, she loved that fact, and she waved the napkin away with an apologetic look on her face. But the barman continued to hold it out to her:

BRAD: Oh I know, but with all due respect ma'am you're not really my type. This is for the girl you were with over there.

Catherine followed his hand as he motioned over to the seating area where she'd left Lindsay and Greg. She peered through the crowd while Nick began explaining to the barman in a protective manner that that 'girl' was his daughter, who had a boyfriend. But Catherine stopped listening for a moment as the blood rushed to her ears and her heart rate increased. She saw the figure of her daughter walking in their direction with a look of fear on her face as an angry young man behind her threw his beer bottle to the ground and raced after her.

CATHERINE: Nicky!

Catherine grabbed his shirt, tugging him away from the bar, an action the man clearly couldn't understand as she could feel some resistance from him. But right now she didn't care, their daughter was in danger and she needed to get to her now. To her relief Nick seemed to have seen what Catherine had been pointing at and had taken it upon himself to get them to Lindsay as soon as possible, grabbing the strawberry blonde's hand and bulldozing several clubbers out of the way to get to their daughter. Lindsay had been grabbed and was fighting against the man who forced a kiss on her aggressively. She could tell by the grip on her hand that Nick was angry and as they approached Lindsay he let go of her hand, going on without her. But before he got to the stranger, Greg appeared out of nowhere, placing a large punch onto the young man's jaw, sending the recipient dazedly to the ground. Catherine reached out to her daughter, holding her protectively as she checked if she was okay. Automatically she reached for her CSI badge, ready to intimidate the stranger with Nick and Greg, but her heart stopped for a moment as the young stranger stood up.

CATHERINE: No.

Her eyes set upon the last person she wanted to see in this nightclub around her daughter. Jamie Young. The young man who she'd interviewed a couple of months ago regarding the murders of four young women. He laughed as he looked from one CSI to the other:

JAMIE: What you've all started stalking me now? Or wait, are you now providing a bodyguard service for young women around the city?

As the young man laughed, the three CSI's became worked up, Nick and Greg both clenching their fists while Catherine stood upright, now wishing she'd put her heels on. Her heart rate increased as she watched Nick stride up to the young man, grabbing a handful of his vest and shaking him aggressively:

LINDSAY: DAD!

Catherine didn't take time to process her daughter calling Nick 'Dad', because she was concentrating too much on the look on Jamie's face as Lindsay yelled. It was a look of confusion as he turned his attention back to Nick, laughing in his face:

JAMIE: Dad? Oh this is brilliant…Lindsay come on…

CATHERINE: You stay away from her.

Catherine stuck out a finger to warn him of her anger, but as Nick let go of the young man he stood upright, a smug look on his face.

JAMIE: Come on Linds, tell them how you know me. Tell them who I am.

Catherine looked over at her daughter in confusion as tears appeared in Lindsay's eyes. She could tell she was afraid of him. Of how she knew him.

LINDSAY: Jamie and I used to date.

JAMIE: And…

He rolled his hand over for her to explain further, a smirk on his face as he enjoyed the torture his ex-girlfriend was going through. Lindsay stayed quiet, hardly being able to look her parents in the eyes. She was ashamed of who he was:

JAMIE: Maybe I should explain you see I'm-

LINDSAY: Jamie!

JAMIE: -I'm the father of her baby.

* * *

**Couldn't resist a quicker update :)  
Going to have to get my head around the next few chapters as this was technically the big twist in my story so far..  
Never fear though, I'll sort something out soon!  
R&R - Hope you enjoy! x **


	31. The Surprise

Nick walked out of the break room and down the corridor towards his office, swinging a small file in his hand as he moved. It had been a busy couple of months and the hope for a lull in cases had diminished within the department. If anything crime was on the increase, and the cut in the department's budget meant that he'd been working flat out to try to keep on top of paperwork and hearings, often staying two, three, even four hours overtime. He and Catherine had both been pulling their own weight around the office in a vein attempt to keep the place running as smoothly as possible, in the hope that Ecklie would find no excuse to accuse the two of them of underperforming and blaming their 'past relationship' for the underachievement of the department. As Nick approached his office he turned to look through the door of Catherine's office and saw the woman sat at her desk, her reading glasses perched delicately on the end of her nose as she stared with a frown at a file that she was reading. He slowly walked through the open door of the office and towards her desk, noticing the file which had begun to look tattered due to the amount of times Catherine had read it. With a sigh he stopped at the foot of her desk, and placed his hands on his hips.

NICK: I thought we agreed you weren't going to look at that file again until new evidence came up?

He watched as the woman sat before him jumped at the sound of his voice, bringing the file down quickly to try to hide it from him in an automatic reaction, before realising it was pointless. He raised his eyebrows and she sighed, pushing her glasses up onto the top of her head and rubbing her eyes with her hands. Nick had no idea how she was still going. Catherine hadn't slept properly since Lindsay's birthday two months ago, Nick had tried everything to help her rest properly, for her to unwind, to attempt to clear her mind, but he knew all she did was stare at the bedroom ceiling as her thoughts continued to evolve.

_Nick opened his eyes and they focused on his clock that sat on the bedside table beside him. Six hours sleep. Not bad. Better than it had been, but to be fair it had been an exhausting forty eight hours since he'd last woken up. He'd worked a thirteen hour shift, had gone straight home to fill his car with all of Lindsay's possessions and take them over to Greg's apartment, where Greg and Lindsay had been waiting for him. He'd then gone back to work to pick Catherine up after her meeting, driven her home so they could pick up the last of Lindsay's things, driven back over to Greg's to help him move some furniture in the kitchen and lounge, then driven straight over to work with Catherine to begin another thirteen hour shift that had somehow turned into fifteen hours. To say that they had been exhausted by the time they'd finally got home was an exaggeration. _

_Nick turned his body around and looked at Catherine who laid still, her eyes wide open as she stared at the ceiling, exactly where he'd left her when he'd fallen asleep. He'd given up trying to stay awake with her, knowing full well that they were no use to their colleagues if they were both sleep deprived, and he'd been working extra hard to keep all the paperwork up to date while Catherine's sleepless body continued to carry her around. She managed to be coherent and in control of her thoughts, words and leadership skills at work in front of their colleagues, but behind closed doors, away from prying eyes and their pregnant daughter, Catherine had confessed to Nick that she was concerned about Lindsay's safety. The idea that Jamie was out there somewhere, possibly finding some reason to find their daughter again was something that concerned the parents. Catherine was now attempting to find any scrap of evidence that may link him to the murders she was adamant he'd committed, with the hope that he'd end up in jail for the rest of his life, leaving Lindsay and their granddaughter to live their lives safely. Nick could see her eyes moving from one point of the ceiling to another and knew she was trying to think of some way to send the young man behind bars. But they'd already exhausted every possible option. Jamie was clean. There was nothing they could do._

_NICK: Babe? _

_He watched as Catherine closed her eyes for a long moment before turning her head towards him. There were dark shadows under her eyes and her skin looked paler than usual. If he didn't do something soon she was going to become very ill._

_NICK: You have to give Jamie a rest._

_He brought a hand over and glazed his fingers gently across her arm as her eyes closed at his touch, a small smile appearing in the corners of her mouth. If Catherine had been more alert she would've walked out of the bedroom, frustrated that he was telling her not to do something, but Nick knew she was too tired. He watched her open her eyes and look at him, her smile fading as she sighed:_

_CATHERINE: The moment I stop could be the moment he makes his move._

_It had been three weeks since their confrontation with Jamie in the nightclub and no sooner had Catherine returned to work the next day, she had insisted that the case she presumed the young man was involved in was put on top priority. Nick remembered the countless times he'd tried to encourage her to clear her mind and look for additional suspects but she'd been so focused on trying to arrest Jamie that anything else at work seemed to take a step-back. The team had been surprised at first, but Catherine had fobbed them off with the excuse that the case was so severe and dangerous and that it would only be a matter of time before the killer struck again that the team asked no further questions. Of course Nick backed her all the way, even if he thought she was acting irrationally. He wanted the young man gone too, but he'd not seen or had any reason to believe that their daughter was currently in danger. She was never out after dark and she was rarely alone but that still wasn't enough to comfort her mother, who was incredibly protective of the twenty one year old, especially now she knew the young woman was pregnant._

_ Nick: Would it make things easier if Greg and I watched out for her? I mean, purposefully watched out for her?_

_CATHERINE: Lindsay would never let you do that. She's too independent._

_The look on Catherine's face had relaxed slightly despite her hesitation, and Nick saw this as the perfect opportunity to release his girlfriend from the mountain of worry that was heaped on her shoulders._

_NICK: What if she never knew?_

CATHERINE: I was just looking at the file with fresh eyes. I've not looked at it in over a month, I just wondered if there was something I might've missed.

Nick couldn't help the smile that wiped onto his face as the woman opposite him raised her eyebrows with a small smile, looking up at him hopefully. He shook his head slightly. He knew she hadn't forgotten about it. How could she? The woman called their daughter practically every hour and visited her every day even if Lindsay protested that her mother fussed too much. Catherine had transferred Greg to the day shift so he could be with Lindsay in the evenings and through the night, then she and/or Nick would go to the house during the day to make sure Lindsay was comfortable and happy. It was a setup that Catherine, Nick and Greg had devised to keep Lindsay safe without her realising that they were actually protecting her from any visits from Jamie, should he find out where she lived.

CATHERINE: Fine…

Nick watched as Catherine stood up from her desk with a sigh. He was surprised, it wasn't like her to relinquish control so easily. Maybe he was finally getting somewhere. He watched as the woman before him walked around the desk and stood before him, holding out the file. It surprised him sometimes just how often their daughter looked like her and the expression on Catherine's face was just like the expression Lindsay had given him the day before when he'd told the young woman that he wasn't going to allow her to drive him to work in his car. For a slim girl she sure was carrying a large baby and with only six weeks to go Nick was less than confident about letting her behind the wheel of a car, mostly because he couldn't see how she would fit between the seat and the steering wheel thanks to her large belly:

_NICK: Oh all I said was that I didn't think it was safe for her to be behind the wheel of a car when her bump is so big!_

_Nick stood in the kitchen of their house, his arms folded as he leant against the work surface while Catherine poured three mugs of coffee with a bemused smile on her face. He looked over to the figure of Catherine's mother, who sat at the island watching the two of them as they spoke about Lindsay's latest rant on the phone about her parent's over-protective qualities:_

_CATHERINE: Nicky, I drove to work right up until I went on maternity leave at eight months pregnant!_

_NICK: But you were never that big._

_Nick paused, as Catherine raised her eyebrows at him whilst holding out a mug of coffee in his direction. She hadn't been that big, he was sure of it! He tried to think back to the time when Catherine had been expecting Lindsay. He couldn't remember much about her stomach, but he could remember how tired she'd looked, how her eyes sparkled when they giggled together, how rosy her cheeks got when she felt too hot, how often she would place her hand on top of his or on his shoulder when they spoke. He could remember all that._

_CATHERINE: I was the size of a whale!_

_Nick heard her laugh as her mother received a mug of coffee and laughed along too, but the man just furrowed his brow. She hadn't been the size of a whale, she'd just been pregnant. At eight months she could've given birth._

_NICK: No you weren't, you were perfect._

_He saw the look Lily gave Catherine, as though the words he'd just spoken were the most romantic words in the world, but his girlfriend just turned to him with a small smile on her face. The relationship Catherine seemed to have with her mother was a strong one and Nick was relieved that Lily liked him. According to Catherine, her mother had always wanted her and Nick to become an item, so to see them together now was 'wonderful'. He found himself walking towards them, trying to make his point clearer, but Catherine held a hand up at him with a small smile like her mother's:_

_CATHERINE: Lindsay was 9lb 10. Hardly a walk in the park when it came to getting her out I'll tell you that much._

_Nick's eyes widened and he couldn't help feeling guilty. His nieces and nephews had all been what his family had called "turkey babies". They had been 10lb-ers. He himself had been 9lb 12 when he'd been born so it was no surprise that Lindsay had been a big baby too. He watched as Catherine sipped her coffee with her eyebrows raised, pointing a finger at him:_

_CATHERINE: I'm guessing I have you to thank for that._

_LILY: You must do, you were only 6lb 7 Catherine! I'm surprised you didn't twig Nick was Lindsay's father there and then!_

_CATHERINE: Mom…_

_Nick laughed as Catherine turned to her mother with a disapproving look on her face at the old woman's comment. Lindsay had only six weeks left until her due date and the three family members stood in the kitchen at that time were very excited at the new addition that was expected so soon. Catherine had started to sleep for four hours at a time each day, Nick had managed to redecorate the spare room in the house and turn it into a nursery just in case Lindsay and Greg wanted to leave their daughter with them at some point, Greg had settled into his new routine on the day shift well, and Lindsay was becoming increasingly tired, uncomfortable and irritable with each passing day._

_LILY: I think Nick's right, Lindsay shouldn't be driving, and she definitely shouldn't be complaining to you because her father's told her she can't do something._

_CATHERINE: Yeah well, curse of an only child…_

Nick took hold of the file with a small smile as Catherine took a deep intake of breath. The room was silent except for the light sound of whirring machines and footsteps of staff from the corridor outside. The pressure of work mixed with Lindsay's pregnancy, her move, her protection and the lack of sleep meant that Nick and Catherine had found little opportunity to spend much quality time alone together. They only had a couple of hours left of their shift before a whole day off together, and as Nick took hold of the file Catherine continued her grip on it, their eyes meeting as she spoke quietly, not wanting anybody out in the corridor to hear what she had to say:

CATHERINE: I thought about what you said earlier.

Nick's heart skipped a beat as he saw the smile spread across his girlfriend's face. Earlier that day, after Lily had left the house, Nick and Catherine had been busy preparing meals for Lindsay and Greg to store in their freezer for when the baby arrived. As Nick quizzed her then listened to stories that Catherine told him, stories of times when Catherine had been pregnant or stories of Lindsay's childhood, Nick realised just how much he'd missed out on.

_NICK: Okay, Lindsay's most memorable performance on stage when she was little._

_He knew his daughter loved to act and that Catherine had enrolled her into a theatre group from the age of nine to feed their child's desperate need for attention and excessive energy, but he'd only been privileged once in attending one of her performances, when she was fourteen years old. He watched as Catherine paused her actions mid-way through layering lasagne sheets on top of the sauce she'd just made._

_CATHERINE: I would have to say…when she was eight. She performed Don't Cry For Me Argentina at the school talent show. She was…incredible._

_Nick watched the smile that grew on Catherine's face as she recalled the memory. _

_CATHERINE: I managed to get there just in time, racing over from work but I made it. And I ended up crying all the way through. She'd been practicing and practicing and practicing. And she won first place._

_NICK: All right Lindsay!_

_Nick smiled as he thought about how brave his daughter had to have been to sing such a big song at the age of eight. From the times he'd heard her sing during the performance of Grease that he'd watched her in he knew how powerful her voice was, and could only imagine how good it would've sounded when she was eight. He walked over to the fridge, pulling out some meat, and as he returned to the work surface beside Catherine he paused whilst she spoke:_

_CATHERINE: I wish you could've been there. I wish you could've been there from the beginning._

_Nick nodded sadly as he turned his face towards her. She looked at him with a sad expression, tears forming in her eyes as she placed her hands against the work surface._

_NICK: Yeah, me too._

_He didn't want to upset her anymore than she already was. He knew she was sorry, that she hadn't meant to keep Lindsay from him, that she had never considered for a moment that he might be the father of her child. As a tear rolled down the woman's cheek she went to wipe it away but realised she had sauce on her fingers, so Nick brought his thumb up and wiped the tear from her cheek._

_NICK: Never mind. Forget about what could've been. Lets just focus on the here and now, and the future yeah?_

_CATHERINE: Yeah…_

_Nick watched as Catherine smiled and returned back to her final touches on the fourth lasagne she'd compiled that afternoon._

_NICK: Marry me._

_Nick watched as Catherine paused and looked up at him quickly, her breathing increasing as her chest heaved up and down, her eyes locked with his as though trying to process what he'd just said._

_CATHERINE: Wh-what?_

_NICK: Look, we spent almost half of our lives tip toeing around the fact that we love each other. We have a daughter together, we have years of experience together, we live together, we're in a relationship with each other, I couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life with anybody else but you and I don't __want__ to spend the rest of my life with anybody else but you. So…yeah, marry me. Even if it's just a little ceremony, with close friends and family, or just family, or just friends, or just us I don't care. All I care about is you and that I love you and I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life as your husband and you as my wife. _

_He watched as Catherine opened her mouth to respond but before she could her mobile rang. She held a finger up towards Nick as she reached over to the windowsill where her phone sat, and took hold of it._

_CATHERINE: Let me just…think about it…_

_Nick's heart sank as he watched his girlfriend walk away from him and through to the lounge as he heard her greeting their colleague over the phone. Looks like they were starting their shift early again tonight._

NICK: And?

CATHERINE: Okay, lets do it.

* * *

**An update - finally! Sorry for the mega delay. I know where I want this story to go (it's getting reasonably close to the end now..) but it's just finding the time to write the chapters that's tricky :)**

Either way, I hope you liked it. I'll try to write the next chapter soon - I promise.  
In the meantime I've managed to write a short little fic 'From The Cell' which is Nick/Catherine centred, if you need something to keep you going until my next update :) Sophie xx


	32. The Brain Decorated Elevator

Catherine stifled a small yawn and raised a hand to her mouth as she reached the top of the stairs of a twenty story building. What were the chances that the scene she had to attend happened to be that of a victim who was found shot dead in the elevator on the top floor? She glanced down the end of the corridor to see a police officer, a detective and one of her colleges bent over the victim in the elevator, and slowly began to walk over to them, her kit swinging in her right hand as she peered at her watch. 2am. She hoped the scene wouldn't take too long to process as she had began craving her bed since she'd arrived at work a few hours earlier. She hadn't anticipated how much she'd hate working whilst Nick took a couple extra days vacation time that was owed to him, because she wanted to be with him rather than processing a dead body. Catherine stopped at the open doors of the elevator and she recognised the familiar figure of her colleague Sara, who knelt beside the victim in order to take a closer look at the body's hands to see if there were any defence wounds. Sara had been very cool this evening, and for that Catherine was eternally grateful:

_SARA: What's that?_

_Catherine paused her note taking, her face beginning to flush as she felt Sara staring at her. They'd only been in work for half an hour and already her colleague had spied it. Catherine looked up from her notes to see Sara staring in surprise at her hand before looking at her._

_CATHERINE: What's what?_

_Catherine pulled her hands onto her lap out of sight, and even though she and Nick had swore that they would never bring the conversation up at work unless they were asked by their closest colleagues, Catherine had been almost desperate to tell Sara their news, which was so unlike her._

_SARA: What's that on your hand?_

_Before Catherine knew it, her colleague had grabbed her left hand and brought it towards her to inspect. A small gasp left the brunette's mouth and Catherine saw her brown eyes sparkle as Sara smiled at her:_

_SARA: So you manage to get three days off work in a row and end up getting hitched?! How long have you had that plan up your sleeve?_

_Catherine took her hand back and looked down at it, hardly able to suppress the grin that spread across her face as she stared at the wedding band that snuggled up to the jewel encrusted engagement ring that Nick had given her the previous week. It certainly had been rushed, but they'd been ready. They'd felt ready._

_CATHERINE: Only a couple of weeks…_

_SARA: A couple of weeks?! Catherine, that's so not you!_

_Catherine couldn't help looking over at her colleague with a big grin. Sara had known her for almost ten years, she knew what sort of character she was and she knew that rushing into anything, particularly a relationship let alone a marriage, was not her style. But it had been two weeks to the day that Nick had proposed. Within a week they had managed to persuade Ecklie's boss to let them have a couple of days off each (their luck had really been in as Ecklie had just started a two week vacation at the time). Catherine had bought herself and Lindsey a dress, Nick and Greg had bought suits and Lily had treated herself to a new outfit too. They'd picked a small, no-frills chapel on the east-side of the city with just themselves as guests. Five days later they were married. Catherine hadn't stopped smiling the whole weekend, not even when she returned to work that evening to find a desk full of paperwork with deadlines for the end of the week._

_CATHERINE: I know!_

BRASS: Hey Catherine, nice vacation?

Catherine smiled, setting down her kit and reaching into it to grab some gloves to help Sara process the scene.

CATHERINE: It wasn't a vacation…

BRASS: Three days off. Might as well be.

Catherine had to give him that. It was rare in their line of work to get a whole day off uninterrupted let alone three. She hated to think what Ecklie would have said had she and Nick approached him about having the same time off work. It would have been a big fat "no". But through some small miracle Ecklie took a two week vacation to the Bahamas which gave Nick and Catherine the perfect opportunity to approach Ecklie's boss and request the days off required. It wasn't easy by any means, there had been plenty of paperwork to fill out in order to gain the time off, they had had to organise the appropriate cover as neither of them were going to be on hand to run the department, but fortunately Ecklie's boss hadn't heard of their connection to Lindsey, nor did he suspect that the two of them were a couple. So before long both Nick and Catherine had managed to gain enough time off together to get married and to have a couple of days off as a sort of 'mini-moon'.

Catherine stretched the rubber gloves over her hands and slung her camera over her neck, letting it hang down as she stepped across to the body as Sara placed the victim's hand back down with a small frown on her face.

SARA: No defence wounds. I mean, he has some bruising on his right knuckle, probably threw a punch of his own, but nothing to suggest he protected himself.

CATHERINE: Maybe he knew his attacker?

They'd seen hundreds of dead bodies throughout their career, maybe even close to a thousand, so they knew what to look for and what questions to ask themselves when processing a body. The strawberry blonde took a couple of photos of the young man who lay dead at her feet, then she crouched down to inspect him further. A clear bullet wound had pierced the man's forehead, bits of his brain decorated the walls of the elevator around them confirming the shot had been made there rather than the body being dragged to the location it had been left at. The wound still looked reasonably fresh, three hours at the most. The incident had been called in around that time and Catherine had sent Sara straight there while she went over the notes from the court case that had been held regarding an investigation the team had been heavily involved in a few months earlier - the Whittle case. The very case Lindsey had been helping with during her short time doing work experience. Catherine took a swab of the wound and contained the sample, with the intention of getting it looked at further.

CATHERINE: Checked his pockets?

Sara shook her head, let her camera hang from her neck, then reached out to inspect the victim's jacket pockets on her side while Catherine checked the others side. Catherine pulled out a cinema ticket and she squinted at the date. God her eyesight was getting worse as she got older. Where were her glasses when she needed them? She rolled her eyes as she remembered the last time she had worn them was that morning as she sat in bed finishing the last part of a novel that she'd been reading for what had felt like forever.

SARA: Catherine…

Catherine snapped out of her thoughts and looked over at her colleague who appeared to have turned slightly pale. The brunette held a wallet in her left hand, her right holding onto a photo which she had presumably pulled out of it. Sara handed it over to her colleague and Catherine's heart skipped a beat as she stared at a photo that contained the image of five people, all of whom Catherine recognised. One of them was the victim they were processing. In the photo the young man stood beside three young women who all stood smiling and posing with him. Catherine recognised them as three out of five of the young women who had been found murdered at the beginning of the year. And on the other side of those young women stood a confident young man with a large grin on his face.

SARA: Isn't it that kid you were obsessing over not so long ago?

CATHERINE: Jamie Young. Yeah.

Another dead body. Another link to Jamie. It can't have been a coincidence. Catherine took a deep breath, handing the photo back to Sara before resuming her position back to the pockets on her side of the body. A cinema ticket they could easily process. They could return to the cinema at that time, see if they could catch him on CCTV. He might even be with Jamie? As for the photo, it was just the sort of evidence she'd been looking for. It directly linked Jamie to the young women he'd previously claimed that he had never seen before, and also linked him to this new victim.

Catherine jumped as her cell phone sounded and she stood up from the body, readjusting the position of the camera around her neck as she reached into her back pocket and pulled out the device. Any time she saw Nick's name it made her stomach flip with excitement and this time was no exception and she answered it with a smile on her face as she turned her back on her colleagues, towards the brain splattered mirror before her.

CATHERINE: Hey babe, how's your night going?

Her smile faded as she heard Nick talking breathlessly down the phone at her. She could tell by the sound of the background noise that he was driving.

NICK: Catherine, it's Lindsey!

Catherine's stomach plummeted as thoughts raced through her mind. He sounded panicky, as though something wasn't right. She could hear Lindsey whining in the background and a voice that Catherine could only presume was Greg trying to calm her down. Lindsey wasn't due for another week - not that it was unusual for babies to arrive early. However, the tone of Nick's voice was making Catherine feel very uncomfortable.

NICK: The baby's coming! Catherine, I'm driving her to the hospital now but I've got no idea what to do. I've never done this before!

Catherine turned to see Sara and Jim staring at her, startled as Nick's side of the conversation echoed within the small elevator. Catherine felt the sudden urge to run. To run as fast as she could back to her car. There she could drive quickly to the hospital to be with her daughter. Her little girl who she knew would be feeling so afraid at that moment in time.

CATHERINE: Nicky, take a deep breath and tell Lindsey to regulate her breathing. I'm going to drive straight to the hospital to meet you.

As she said it, her colleagues nodded encouragingly at her, both wearing a nervous expression as though they knew what was happening but weren't 100% sure. Catherine had already began taking her gloves off, chucking them beside the body as she heard Nick relaying her instructions back to Lindsey. She could hear her daughter calling out for her through floods of tears and that was all Catherine could bear to hear. She hung up the phone and pulled the camera from around her neck.

CATHERINE: I've got to go. Lindsey's gone into labour.

JIM: Say no more!

SARA: Yeah I'll be fine here, just waiting for the coroner. Give my love to Lindsey!

CATHERINE: Yeah. Thanks.

Catherine stooped down to pick up her kit and stepped out of the elevator before racing down the corridor and flinging herself down the stairs. This was it.

* * *

**A reasonably short chapter this one. I've realised I'm now writing the final third of this story. I'm finally beginning to get to the point where I can tie up loose ends (if there are any?) and in the coming chapters build up to the big finale that I've had planned since the very first day I started this fic, all those years ago :) hang in there everyone! Thanks for keeping up with this fic and for the support. I'll update again as soon as I can! xx**


	33. The A4 Instructions

Nick sat back on the sofa, rubbing his eye with one hand as he held his cell phone in the other, his eyes staring at the TV screen which had been put on 'mute' while he spoke quietly:

NICK: So what was the verdict?

CATHERINE: You're not going to like it.

Nick groaned followed by a long sigh. Catherine had just called him to hear his voice while she drove over to a scene, but it hadn't taken too long before their conversation had moved to work.

CATHERINE: They chucked the case out of the window.

NICK: What? Why?!

He quickly looked over his shoulder, realising he'd raised his voice a little too high and hoped that he'd not woken the other members of the apartment that he was currently in.

CATHERINE: Insufficient evidence apparently.

NICK: Insufficient evidence my ass, we had enough DNA to connect the whole neighbourhood!

He was exaggerating of course, but the team hadn't slaved away on that case for several months just for some judge to dismiss it because they claimed that there wasn't enough to go on. Catherine had gone quiet on the phone and he knew she was giving him some time to calm down, so he took the opportunity to take a deep breath before adjusting his position on the sofa.

NICK: Well there's nothing more we can do other than file the case away and hope that it doesn't come back to haunt us in years to come.

CATHERINE: That's the spirit.

He could sense her smile through the tone of her voice and it brought a smile to his own face even though he was feeling particularly annoyed about the case that Catherine had just spent the previous three hours at work finalising after it's court time earlier that day. He knew she would be annoyed too as he knew only too well how disappointing it was to get to work, become faced with a pile of paperwork contained in case files, and that at least one of those files would be details of a case that was binned by the court through lack of sufficient evidence.

CATHERINE: So how's your night going?

NICK: You mean the first night I've had off work without you in about five months? Yeah…great…

Nick's heart warmed as he heard Catherine laugh at his sarcasm, a laugh that trickled down the phone and into his ear. He loved making her laugh and he closed his eyes for a moment imagining the look on her face as she drove her car over to a scene.

CATHERINE: Well believe me, I would love nothing more than to be curled up on the couch with you right now. I'd jack this car and job in if I could.

NICK: Well there's always retirement remember?

He smiled as Catherine giggled again and he could hear her engine shutting off in the background. She sighed as she pulled up the hand-break.

CATHERINE: Right, I'm at the scene babe… Hundreds of steps here I come!

NICK: Well have fun Mrs Stokes.

CATHERINE: Will do Mr Stokes. Love you.

NICK: Love you too.

Nick hung up the phone and laid his head back with a grin on his face. They'd been enjoying any given moment to call each other by their newly married titles. It was going to be interesting getting back to work with her, but not as interesting as Ecklie's inevitable investigative techniques that will look into the real meaning of the wedding rings that now sat on the couple's fingers with pride.

Nick stood up from the sofa and stretched as he looked across the apartment from the living room where he was, over to the open plan kitchen on the other side of the room. The kitchen clock read 01:52. Even with three days off work Nick's body clock hadn't changed. Today had been different to the previous two as he'd been awake for all of it, having taken Lindsey out for lunch with Catherine while Greg was at work, followed by an intense and long step-by-step on what to do if in the very unlikely event that Lindsey were to go into labour and had nobody but her father to turn to. Despite having been awake for almost 31 hours, give or take the mid-morning and mid-afternoon naps he and Catherine had become accustomed to, Nick was still as wide awake as ever at this time of night as his body had always been used to working the grave shift. He had decided that he would stay awake while Catherine was at work, then go to sleep with her when she came home. Nick slowly made his way over to the fridge and opened it up, with the intention of pulling a cool beer out, but to his disappointment there was only fruit juice amongst the food within the fridge. Of course, Greg was not drinking beer whilst Lindsey couldn't, and Nick rolled his eyes as he remembered it.

Nick heard a thud come from one of the bedrooms of the apartment. He paused, looking up from the fridge as he held his breath, listening intently for any further noises. Having spent so many years being used to hearing thuds in the dark, Nick was no longer spooked by unfamiliar noises and after a moment he turned back to the contents of the fridge, concluding that the noise may have been a car door closing outside.

Suddenly he heard running footsteps and Nick turned to see Greg run from the hallway into the kitchen and slide into the corner of the worktop. The young man stubbed his toe and swore loudly as Nick looked over at him in surprise.

GREG: Nick, Lindsey's water's just broke. The baby's coming!

Nick slammed the fridge door shut, his heart racing as he watched Greg hobble back to the bedroom. This was it. He had no idea what to do first. Call Catherine? Call an ambulance? No, Catherine had not long arrived at a scene, he couldn't disturb her just yet, and calling an ambulance would be a waste of the emergency service's time. So what now then? His eyes quickly drew themselves back to the fridge door where a piece of A4 paper was held up by alphabet magnets. Without thinking he yanked it off the fridge door and ran over to the bedroom leaving the magnets to fall on the floor. As he barged into the room his eyes met Greg's as the young man had an arm around Lindsey who was currently standing in the middle of the room in clear pain, shock and panic.

GREG: She said she doesn't think the baby's coming yet. What should we do?

NICK: I have the list.

He held up the A4 piece of paper and began looking at the list of things that he would need to do should he be the only person with Lindsey when she went into labour. The instructions were written clearly in Catherine's handwriting. God, he wished she was here right now.

NICK: Okay well, it says here we should grab the hospital bag and take her straight to the hospital.

GREG: Okay.

Nick began walking out of the room as he continued to read the instructions while Greg encouraged Lindsey to walk with him towards the door. However, they had only walked a few steps before Nick had returned:

NICK: Wait! It says here that if Lindsey's water's have broken she should change her clothes if she is able and if necessary.

GREG: I think she needs to change her sweatpants at least.

LINDSEY: I am here you know!

Both men paused and turned to the young woman who stood by the door, her right hand holding her lower back whilst the other wrapped its way around Greg's shoulder. Nick had to admit, she was looking rather tired already and decidedly annoyed about something, though he couldn't work out if it was with them, with the baby, or the situation as a whole.

LINDSEY: Greg get me some fresh sweatpants from the draw. Nick, there's a couple of homemade meals in the freezer, can you pick those out and put them in the fridge ready for tomorrow. I'll change my pants, we'll all grab the hospital bag then go to the hospital okay?

Nick couldn't help but smile as his daughter delegated the tasks. Even in an emergency situation she was able to keep a cool, albeit impatient sounding, head. Like mother, like daughter. His smile soon faded as Lindsey gasped and lent over towards Greg breathing quickly.

Within minutes the trio were down the steps of the apartment and both men helped a rather irritable Lindsey into the back of the car. Greg jumped into the seat beside her while Nick settled into the drivers seat and began driving to the hospital. Lindsey had started to moan moments earlier, with the odd "ooh" and "aah" added in between. Nick began to feel very uncomfortable. He really wished he had experience of what to do in this situation. He'd never seen anybody in labour before, let alone transported her to the hospital. He wasn't sure what the difference was between a good pain or a bad pain because at the end of the day pain was pain.

LINDSEY: Ooh…somebody call Mom! I really need my Mom!

Nick got hold of his cell and called Catherine, panicking as Lindsey started to cry. He hoped that Catherine would answer and that she wasn't out of cell range. To his relief she answered, but in a calm voice which took Nick by surprise given the emergency environment he was in:

CATHERINE: Hey babe, how's your night going?

NICK: Catherine, it's Lindsey!

He hadn't meant to sound so desperate but as he continued to drive towards the hospital the sound of Lindsey's crying was gradually getting louder, no matter how much Greg tried to calm her. He'd heard that labour hurt, how could it not? But he hadn't been prepared for his daughter to sound so helpless and in so much pain. There was nothing he could do.

NICK: The baby's coming! Catherine, I'm driving her to the hospital now but I've got no idea what to do. I've never done this before!

CATHERINE: Nicky, take a deep breath and tell Lindsey to regulate her breathing. I'm going to drive straight to the hospital to meet you.

Nick looked into his rear-view mirror at his daughter and Greg. Greg had his arm around Lindsey, his hand rubbing her lower back as she held onto his other hand tightly. Nick had to hand it to Catherine, she wasn't even here and she knew that Lindsey's breathing was a little too erratic.

NICK: Lindsey, your Mom's told you to regulate your breathing.

Lindsey continued to cry, the odd mumbles wail of "Mom" leaving her lips as another contraction rippled through her body, but Nick began to focus on the words Catherine had just told him. He was now calmer, having taken the deep breath she had advised him to take.

NICK: Lindsey, focus! Deep breaths, come on…

GREG: In…

Lindsey took a deep breath in as she looked determinedly into Greg's eyes, then exhaled as he instructed her to. Nick watched as the youngsters repeated the method and Lindsey's face began to soften as her attention focused on her breathing. Amazing, Catherine had drawn calm into the car without being there. Nick heard the phone line go dead and he could tell that Lindsey's wails had probably been a bit too much for Catherine to hear. As he continued to drive towards the hospital he just knew that it wouldn't be long before Catherine was by his side again. This time it would be as they waited for their granddaughter to arrive.

* * *

**Really hope this chapter is okay. I think I rushed it a bit but the next couple of chapters along with this one are almost 'fillers' to keep the story flowing before the 'next big thing' :) thanks for all the new likes and subscriptions and also a big thanks to those who are still with this fic 2 years on! Wowza! x**


	34. The Outburst - Nick's POV

Nick stormed over to the sink of the bathroom he had just entered, the door slamming behind him. He raised his fist and threw an angry punch at the wall beside the mirror that stood in front of him. He rarely lost his temper, but as he hung his head over the sink and ran cool water from the tap, he looked deep into his thoughts and questioned why he was feeling this way. It wasn't that he was angry with Lindsey for not letting him stay during the birth of her first child, far from it. He didn't feel comfortable with the idea of watching the 'miracle of birth' even if it was the birth of his own granddaughter. He was angry with Catherine's reaction to the whole situation. She was acting very selfishly and it was a side to her that he had never seen before. A side that he presumed wasn't one that Catherine showed very often. He had initially been relieved when she'd arrived at the hospital but that relief had developed into aggravation. Why wouldn't she listen? He knew she had a habit of being a hot head. He had heard that about red heads. But even she had to admit she was being out of line.

_CATHERINE: Lindsey?_

_Nick turned to the door of the hospital room that he, Lindsey and Greg had been sent to thirty minutes earlier. Since arriving at the hospital Lindsey had been examined, been offered some pain relief (which she had happily accepted) and now the twenty one year old laid back on the bed feeling relaxed as her mother raced into the room with a nervous expression on her face._

_CATHERINE: Lindsey, honey, are you okay?_

_LINDSEY: Mom, I'm fine._

_The twenty one year old looked at her mother with a sleepy smile on her face as the older woman approached the bed and placed a hurried kiss on her forehead before turning to the men in the room._

_CATHERINE: Well? What did the midwife say?_

_GREG: She's fine. The baby is doing really well and should be along in the next hour or so._

_Nick watched as Catherine took a deep breath to compose herself. He'd only seen her look this agitated a couple of times before. Both times had been Lindsey-related incidents. Both times she had walked and talked irrationally until somebody took her aside to calm her down with a few select words. At the moment Catherine was shuffling her weight from one foot to the other watching as Greg held Lindsey's hand affectionately, offering to rub her lower back if the young woman wanted, to which Lindsey declined gratefully. The two looked so peaceful together, both looking into the others eyes with small smiles as they realised they were to become parents in a matter of hours. Nick was impressed at how calm Greg was despite the unknown path that lay ahead of him. He wasn't so surprised by Lindsey's calm persona at the moment, knowing that the pain relief had something to do with it. Both looked very much in control of the situation._

_Nick looked back over at Catherine and frowned slightly as he noticed his wife looking somewhat upset as she looked over at the young couple, but he couldn't quite understand why. He thought she would be happy that their daughter was happy, after all he had always believed that that was the way Catherine worked. That their daughter's happiness was her priority._

_Suddenly a midwife walked into the room, pulling gloves over her hands as she smiled rather too widely for the time of morning._

_MIDWIFE: Right Miss Willows, how are you feeling?_

_Lindsey had sat up at the arrival of the woman, who had walked past Catherine to the young woman's side to look at the baby's heart rate on the monitor. Nick watched Catherine step away from the bed and to his side as the midwife examined Lindsey._

_LINDSEY: Much better since the pain relief._

_MIDWIFE: It works wonders doesn't it._

_Nick placed a hand around Catherine's waist but the woman moved away from his touch and he looked over at her in curiosity. What had got into her? Her face was stony as her eyes glistened with held-back tears as they focused on her daughter who watched the midwife move away from examining her._

_MIDWIFE: Well I'd say you're ready to start pushing._

_GREG: Really?_

_LINDSEY: Really?!_

_MIDWIFE: Absolutely! Your labour is going pretty quickly for a first birth. Usually we find that the more babies a woman has the quicker the labour time._

_Lindsey and Greg looked at each other with big grins on their faces, though they were beginning to show signs of nerves. As the midwife pulled on some fresh gloves she turned to Lindsey with a serious look on her face:_

_MIDWIFE: Now Lindsey, who are you going to have staying with you?_

_LINDSEY: Oh…I thought my family could stay?_

_Nick watched Lindsey hesitate as she was asked the question. He presumed that his daughter would definitely want Catherine with her, after all they were close, Catherine knew her better than anybody in the room at that time and was the only person with Lindsey who had any experience of child birth._

_MIDWIFE: Well they can stay outside yes, but only one is allowed in the delivery suite with you. Hospital policy due to health and safety I'm afraid._

_Nick knew he was out of the running straight away and was more than happy to be. He didn't feel that his relationship with his daughter was anywhere near as strong as the relationship Lindsey held with her mother or even with Greg. But as he stood observing his little family, he watched Lindsey look over at Catherine nervously before looking up at Greg with a small smile._

_LINDSEY: I'd like Greg to stay._

_Nick walked out of the delivery suite behind Catherine who had seemingly stormed out of the room after bidding a short farewell to their daughter, who had apologised deeply to the both of them but insisted that it was important for Greg to stay with her. Nick got it, after all Greg had every right to be there if he was to support Lindsey in the upbringing of this child. But he could tell Catherine had not taken the news well at all. The woman stood, her chest lifting up and down as she kept her arms folded, shaking her head from side to side very slightly. Presumably she was trying to take Lindsey's decision in, but was struggling to accept it._

_NICK: What's up?_

_Nick knew the answer but it would be a very long couple of hours alone with her if she remained in the stony state she was in now. He could tell by the tone of her voice that she was more than stony, she was flat out pissed off._

_CATHERINE: I'm fine._

_NICK: Come on Cath, I know you better than that. You're pissed because Lindsey chose Greg, aren't you…_

_He'd hit the nail on the head as Catherine turned to him, her face scrunched up at intervals as she explained how she felt. Nick placed his hands on his hips, raising his eyebrows as she ranted, her hands flailing about as she spoke._

_CATHERINE: Fine I am! I am pissed off because she chose him. I mean __him__, her boyfriend of seven months, over me her own mother?! It's not right!_

_NICK: Well he is going to be the father. He deserves to be present at the birth of his child right?_

_CATHERINE: I managed to get through my pregnancy just fine without the father, so she would've survived without him!_

_Nick's heart began to race as each word left her mouth, becoming louder by the moment. Usually, if Catherine had an outburst like this, Nick would let it wash over him knowing that if ever she got angry it was because stressful thoughts had built up in her mind causing her to explode at a moment when it became too much for her head to cope with. But what she had just said had hit his core. It was a shame to be arguing so early on in their marriage, but what Catherine had just said wasn't fair. He'd been under the impression that she'd wished he'd been there at the birth of their daughter, but clearly not. This time it was his turn to raise his voice, hoping that his words might hit a nerve and jog her out of the horrible mood she was in._

_NICK: You know what, you're so selfish!_

_He would've waited for a response but as Catherine opened her mouth in shock at his words, he was already on a roll._

_NICK: I would've done anything to have been present when you went into labour with Lindsey but you made sure that didn't happen, didn't you. So what makes you think you have the right to say that our daughter shouldn't have her boyfriend by her side during the birth? You know what, I'm pleased she chose Greg. I'm pleased he's here and that she's given him the opportunity to be here for her!_

_He watched Catherine square up to him, ultimately certain that she was now angry with him for not understanding how she was feeling, angry that he had dared to go against her rather than support her. But how could he support her when she was so wrong. Why should she be angry that Lindsey didn't choose her? It's their daughter's decision. Nick needed some space, just a chance to move away and clear his mind._

_NICK: I'm out of here!_

_He began to walk away and heard his wife bark back at him:_

_CATHERINE: FINE! Leave me, it's what everybody does in the end anyway!_

_Nick turned back, having no time to process her words due to the furious thoughts rushing around his head, and he leaned towards Catherine, ready to place the final touch to his feelings with a slightly lower voice:_

_NICK: You know what? At least Greg can have the involvement I never had and never will have because my wife was and still is too selfish to see that child birth is a life changing experience which the parents should go through together!_

_With his final word Nick stormed off, not looking back at Catherine who now stood watching him go, stuck to the floor as his words floated around her head and turned into thoughts of her own._

Nick gathered water in his hands and splashed it on his face. He'd been walking around the hospital for a while. He'd been out for some fresh air and was now staring at his reflection in the mirror. Had he acted out of line? He took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. He was so tired and knew Catherine was too. It was no surprise that the people they were taking their frustration and exhaustion out on were each other - after all they knew each other so well they could cope if one was struggling but not so much if they both were. He looked down at his watch. He'd been gone for almost an hour. His heart wasn't racing anymore and as he looked at his reflection he took another deep breath. He wasn't proud of the way he'd argued with Catherine. What sort of example was he possibly making to his future granddaughter? Nick shook his head, wiped the remaining water off his face with a paper towel, and paced out of the bathroom ready to find Catherine and apologize for his outburst.

* * *

**I know I know, Catnip angst isn't the best angst..though I did enjoy Season 12 Episode 1 (or whatever episode Ted Danson started in?) where Catherine gave Nick a proper telling off about 'playing by the rules' followed by their argument about there being a door to walk out of if 19 years of being a CSI was too much for either one of them :) it seems they always get on so well onscreen and work so well together that any scene where they're in a huff with each other is actually rather refreshing.**

**Right well I've planned the rest of the chapters to this fic and you've got abooooout *looks it up* 10 more chapters to go :) things will start hotting up again very soon! (And by hotting up, I mean more cliffhangers - sorry!)**

Reviews appreciated as always x


	35. The Outburst - Catherine's POV

Catherine couldn't breath as the words left her daughter's mouth. Greg. She chose Greg. Catherine watched as her daughter gripped the young man's hand while the midwife moved over to the parents who stood in the corner of the room.

MIDWIFE: If you could wait outside in the waiting area please. I'll call you as soon as the baby's here and when Lindsey is ready for visitors.

The midwife motioned towards the door that Nick and Catherine had to leave through, but Catherine hadn't taken any real notice. Everything was starting to become a blur as she pushed past the midwife and walked over to her daughter. Catherine was shaking, though whether it was through anger, nerves, disappointment or worry she wasn't sure. How was she going to know if Lindsey was safe if she wasn't with her? Surely she was the best person to be with her daughter during this most important stage in her life? And it really was the most important stage in any woman's life. The moment when she no longer becomes an individual who's only responsibility is for herself. No, the moment a woman gives birth an immediate rush of undying love and emotion sinks into her soul, pulling her into the realisation that she is now responsible for keeping this little tiny person safe, protected, healthy, happy and alive. Catherine could remember feeling those emotions as though they were yesterday and she leant over to give her daughter a huge kiss on the forehead as Lindsey gave her hand a squeeze.

_Catherine laid on the bed of the hospital, staring in awe at the newborn in her arms. Lindsey. Yes, definitely the perfect name for this beautiful little thing. She leant over and kissed her daughter's forehead, giggling slightly as Lindsey let out a tiny squeaky sneeze. She'd done it. She'd actually gone through the one experience she'd never believed she would ever achieve. And what an achievement!_

_The door of the room opened and Catherine looked up, a sleepy smile washing over her face as her mother entered the room carrying a small cup of coffee. Catherine had to admit, she would've never coped through the labour without her mother, who pulled up a seat beside the bed and cooed over her newborn granddaughter. Catherine had, in recent years, persuaded herself that she was never going to be lucky enough to bear her own children like she had dreamed of doing when she was a child. But after four years of trying she'd finally fallen pregnant and had just given birth to her perfect little girl._

_LILY: Oh Catherine, she looks more and more beautiful as every minute passes._

_CATHERINE: I know._

_The two women giggled as Lindsey let out a little yawn, and Lily held a hand out to stroke the baby's face. Catherine had to admit her Mom had been her saving grace tonight. Despite an argument that had broken out between the two of them the week before about birthing partners, she understood now that Eddie was fast proving to be the useless, failure of a husband that Lily was constantly telling her he was. So when Catherine had given up trying to call around the clubs Eddie might have been in to let him know that she had gone into labour, she'd had no choice but to call her Mom, who had been round to the house in a flash to pick her up, keep her calm and take her to the hospital. And Lily had remained with her ever since. Through the birth, through the excitable rush following the birth, she'd stayed cradling Lindsey while Catherine got some well earned sleep between 1am and 4am, and here she was again, keeping a watchful supportive eye on her daughter and granddaughter._

_LILY: I still can't get over how much she weighs!_

_Catherine nodded, staring at the little baby who's eyelids flickered before closing completely. It was true, Lindsey had been born a heavy baby. 9lb 10! Hardly a walk in the park, but it was so worth it. When Lindsey had first been weighed, Lily had spent quite a while sitting in awe of Catherine, reminding her that she had never been that big when she was born. 6lb 7 to be exact._

_CATHERINE: I can't tell who she looks like…_

_LILY: Are you kidding? She's all you Catherine! Look, her light hair, that nose, those lips. It's like I'm seeing you all over again._

_Catherine continued to stare at her little daughter with a smile on her face. Her mother was right, Lindsey did look like her. She just prayed and hoped that Lindsey would never find herself in the same situations she found herself in as a late teen, early adult. No, Catherine was determined to give her daughter the best life possible and so long as she was there to protect her, to keep her safe, there was absolutely no way Lindsey would ever get hurt, fall into a violent marriage, or find herself in the position of having to become a go-go girl for easy money, like she once had. _

_Suddenly the door of the room swung open and in barged Eddie. He froze, staring at the bundle in Catherine's arms with a lazy smile on his face. He wore a long black winter coat and underneath it a shirt and jeans, the shirt sporting some sort of BBQ sauce down the front._

_EDDIE: I got here as soon as I could._

_Catherine watched as he approached the bed, placing a kiss on her cheek before looking down at their daughter. Her heart dropped as she smelt alcohol and cigarettes on his breath. He'd been out at the slots, she could tell he had, mostly thanks to the jingling noise the pockets of his coat made. She saw her mother stand up, the air in the room cooling as she spoke quietly and firmly at the man._

_LILY: I think you should leave._

_EDDIE: What?!_

_The man turned on his heels, his voice loud as he squared up to Lily who stood a couple of feet shorter than him but still seemed unafraid and determined. She was very protective of her daughter and would continue that protectiveness on to her granddaughter._

_EDDIE: Look, this is my wife and my child, you cant tell me what to do!_

_His voice bellowed as he pointed over to Catherine and Lindsey in the bed as his eyes remained focus on the older woman. Catherine felt herself automatically pulling Lindsey away from her husband, not entirely sure if either of them were safe while he was around._

_LILY: I'm just saying why don't you go to the café, get a coffee and sober up a bit before you hold Lindsey?_

_Her voice remained steely and quiet, presumably doing the trick because Eddie's face softened and he looked over at Catherine who's heart rate steadied as she saw his face draw into a smile. With that smile she knew he'd calmed down a bit and his voice matched her presumption:_

_EDDIE: Lindsey? It…it's a girl?_

_Catherine nodded, smiling as he perched on the edge of the bed and took her hand. She could see tears in his eyes but she wasn't sure if it was the alcohol talking or if he was genuinely emotional:_

_EDDIE: I got home and saw your note on the table. I'm so sorry I wasn't with you._

_LILY: Where were you then?_

_Catherine knew the answer, but chose to skim over it, she wasn't going to get into an argument now that their daughter was around. She was better than that. Eddie, however, had dropped his wife's hand and stood up abruptly to resume his position in front of his mother-in-law. His attitude had snapped back again and he raised his voice:_

_EDDIE: WHAT DOES IT MATTER TO YOU?_

Catherine stepped away from the bed, took one last look at her daughter and Greg, then paced out of the room. She hadn't needed a man to support her during her labour, only her Mom. Eddie had made matters worse at the time. He'd turned up drunk and bitter, his mood swings adding a desolate tension in the room, so much so that the hospital security had had to remove him from the floor. What was the biggest day of her life had been dampened because of her ex-husband. She had no idea what would've happened if her Mom hadn't been there. But because her Mom had been there they had become much closer, as though there was a connection that only they shared. Catherine had been looking forward to sharing that connection with Lindsey. The twenty-one year old didn't need Greg there, she needed her.

Catherine stood facing the door of the delivery suite, her arms folded as she breathed fast. She was so upset. Lindsey must've known how important this moment was for her too. This was her first grandchild, this was a moment they were both supposed to share. It was tradition. Her mother had done it with her. Her grandmother with her mother. Lindsey didn't understand. Nor, would it seem, did Nick, who Catherine could see out of the corner of her eye whilst he looked at her. But she chose to ignore him. She wasn't in the mood to share.

NICK: What's up?

Catherine focused on the door of the delivery suite where she knew her daughter was, quite probably afraid, in pain and hopefully regretting her decision to choose Greg over her own mother.

CATHERINE: I'm fine.

She hadn't meant to snap but she didn't care. Why didn't he understand she didn't want to be bothered? Was her body language not obvious enough?

NICK: Come on Cath, I know you better than that. You're pissed because Lindsey chose Greg, aren't you…

Catherine felt the blood rush to her face, her heart began racing with each word he'd spoken. So he knew her better than anybody else it seemed, so what? He hadn't been about when she was giving birth to Lindsey, why should she need him now? She just needed space. Time to sit and wait, in the hope that Lindsey might change her mind and request for her instead. There was only ever one way to get rid of her husband for a while, and that was to get him annoyed. So without thinking, Catherine turned to Nick and began letting rip as he uncharacteristically stood upright to protect himself from her inevitably angry words:

CATHERINE: Fine I am! I am pissed off because she chose him. I mean _him_, her boyfriend of seven months, over me her own mother?! It's not right!

NICK: Well he is going to be the father. He deserves to be present at the birth of his child right?

CATHERINE: I managed to get through my pregnancy just fine without the father, so she would've survived without him!

By now her breathing was ferocious and her blood was boiling. Why didn't he understand that Greg didn't have a right to be in that room with Lindsey? It should've been her. Her own mother. She watched as his voice rose and he raised one of his hands from his hips and pointed at her:

NICK: You know what, you're so selfish!

Catherine opened her mouth and her stomach dropped. The last thing she thought she was being was selfish. She had never expected Nick to argue back, just to stomp off for a little while to give her space. But he wasn't backing down and she waited while he continued, his face scrunched up in agony, as though the words he was saying to her were excruciatingly painful:

NICK: I would've done anything, _anything_, to have been present when you went into labour with Lindsey but you made sure that didn't happen, didn't you. So what makes you think you have the right to say that our daughter shouldn't have her boyfriend by her side during the birth? You know what, I'm pleased she chose Greg. I'm pleased he's here and that she's given him the opportunity to be here for her!

Catherine stood up tall, her heart rate continuing to race. He didn't get it. Why didn't he stand up for her wishes? She wasn't asking for the world, she just needed his support, she needed for him to agree that, out of her and Greg, she would be the better choice as a birthing partner for Lindsey. She knew her better than anybody else! If anybody knew what was right for their daughter it was her because she knew the exact pain that Lindsey was about to go through!

NICK: I'm out of here!

Catherine watched him leave, but not without having the last word. In every argument she'd been in she was always determined to have the last word:

CATHERINE: FINE! Leave me, it's what everybody does in the end anyway!

There she said it. The truth. Because that's what everybody did in the end. She was always left alone. Her three high school boyfriends. Her two rich friend's after that, who visited her on alternate nights with their monetary and sexual-relief benefits. Then there was Eddie who she eventually married. A brief fling with Nick followed by a very messy divorce from Eddie, the adulterous bastard! Several dates with several different men after that, all of whom either didn't like her job, her shift patterns, or claimed she was "a bit too old" for their "ideal partner". Then there was Lou and a messy break-up there. And then there was Nick...

NICK: You know what? At least Greg can have the involvement I never had and never will have because my wife was and still is too selfish to see that child birth is a life changing experience which the parents should go through together!

Nick had turned back to her as he spoke, his voice much lower than it had been before. She could tell he was hurt. That the decisions she had made all those years ago hadn't been the right ones and she felt terrible for taking it out on him. Catherine took a deep breath as she realised that Nick had been the only man who had treated her right in her entire life so far. There was Grissom of course, an old colleague who had introduced her to the job at CSI and had been her mentor and close friend for most of her career until he left to pursue other avenues a couple of years ago. But he hadn't been Nick. Nick had always been and always would be a source of emotional comfort for Catherine. Someone who knew her inside out, who would protect her, support her and endeavour to always make her happy. Catherine paused as she watched Nick storm off and her heart sank a little. If Nick wasn't making her happy at this very moment, if he wasn't supporting her outburst, then it was more than likely that it was because she was wrong.

With a long sigh, Catherine made her way along the corridor in the opposite direction to Nick, towards the waiting area, mulling over the argument she had just had with her husband.

* * *

**Two updates in two days? Wow..I've even impressed myself :)**

**Little note, sorry to readers in the States and other countries who weigh babies in weight other than Pounds and Ounces. It's how we do it here in the UK so it's a bit of an automatic thing.**

**Thanks for the reviews and favourites already since my update yesterday! Next update will be soon, but not as soon as this one (back to work tomorrow..) Happy Easter! x**


	36. The Apology

Nick cautiously approached the waiting area where he and Catherine had originally been asked to wait. He peered around at the few people who sat on the soft seats that gathered against the walls and in the middle of the room, but he couldn't spot the strawberry blonde hair of his wife. His heart sunk. She couldn't help herself could she. She just _had_ to interfere.

Nick began striding from the waiting area to the delivery suite where he'd left Lindsey earlier, outside of which Catherine had last been stood. Silence. No sounds of women giving birth from any of the rooms whose doors lined the corridor. Nick furrowed his brow. _Surely_ if Catherine had been allowed into the delivery suite he would be faced by Greg right now. Wouldn't he? He knew how forceful his wife could be. If she wanted something she usually got it, that's how firm she was when it came to getting her way. Maybe she'd managed to persuade the midwife to let her in? If she got her way this time, he'd never hear the end of it.

Nick reached out a hand and placed it on the door of Lindsey's delivery suite, hesitating for a moment as he did so. He could hear no noise from within. He looked down at his watch. He'd been gone for a couple of hours, taking a necessary walk around the hospital to clear his head, only to end up getting lost. What if something had happened? What if Lindsey had been rushed into emergency surgery? What if Catherine had been told to go with them? What if she was now standing outside a theatre room, waiting desperately for any news about their daughter or granddaughter? She would be alone. Desperate for his comfort. Nick pulled his hand away from the door, looking up and down the corridor to see if there were any signs that pointed towards an operating theatre. He had to get to her. He had to find her and wrap his arms around her and reassure her that everything was going to be alright!

He jumped as the door he had just moved away from began to slowly open and to his surprise he saw the familiar figure of Greg slip quietly out of the room, his expression showing just how much he was concentrating on remaining quiet. As the young man silently shut the door he looked up at Nick with a big smile while he whispered:

GREG: Hey there you are! We wondered where you got to!

Nick furrowed his brow. Greg looked far too happy for a man who's girlfriend had supposedly been rushed into theatre. Had Catherine taken his place and decided to go in to support Lindsey instead of Greg? Before Nick could ask any further questions, the young man motioned to the room he had just walked out of.

GREG: Your granddaughter's in there if you want to hold her? Just be extra quiet, Lindsey's sleeping.

Nick nodded slowly as Greg made his way down the corridorwithaskipin his step. With a deep breath, Nick gently pushed the door of the room open and stepped inside, making sure to close the door back over very quietly. The room was dark and he could make out a bed with a body, which he presumed was his sleeping daughter, to his right and in the far left corner of the room, stood in front of a window which showed signs of dawn fast approaching, was his wife rocking side to side with her back to him.

Nick slowly walked over to her, and saw her cock her head slightly at the sound of his quiet footsteps. As she turned to him Nick felt a warm rush of love and pride engulf his entire body as he looked from the beaming smile on Catherine's face, down to the small bundle wrapped in her arms.

CATHERINE: Hey.

NICK: Hey.

Tears tainted both the adult's eyes and Nick had never imagined ever being able to smile so wide in his life, but here he was staring at his wife and their newborn granddaughter like the Cheshire cat. He watched as Catherine look down at the baby and his stomach lurched slightly as he realized just how much he wished that he could've been there when Lindsey had been born. To enjoy this moment with their own daughter would have been the best feeling in the world. FromthelookonCatherine's face she presumably feltthesameway.

Nicksmoothedahand across thesmallof her back and Catherinelooked back up at him with asmile, beforeturning towards herhusband.

CATHERINE: Areyou ready to holdher?

Nick nodded with a smile, holdinghisarmsout as Catherine gently placed thesmallbabyin his arms. Nickhesitated as helet thetinyhumanrestsafely between his left arm and chest. She felt so warm and light.

NICK: She's so tiny! I'm sure Lindsey was never this light, was she?

Catherine watched as her husband looked over at her. His face contained nothing but unconditional love for the small bundle in his arms and she didn't blame him, their granddaughter was perfect. She shook her head slightly, a small smile on her face as she answered his question with a low voice, not wanting to wake their daughter.

CATHERINE: Lindsey was a bit heavier but it was so long ago I can't even remember.

NICK: I remember the first time I held Lindsey I was so scared I was going to break her. She was so small.

Catherine watched as he looked back down at the baby, his smile not wavering once. Seeing him with a baby in his arms made her heart ache. She knew she should be grateful, after all she had been the only lucky woman in the world who had carried, given birth to, and raised his only child. But she still couldn't get rid of the guilt that riddled her mind. All those years, all those experiences, all those potential memories…she had torn them all away from him.

NICK: You've really got to put it behind you Cath.

Catherine jumped slightly as her husband looked into her eyes seriously, his brown eyes having a soothing effect as he had presumably read her mind. She shrugged:

CATHERINE: I can't help it. You're such a natural. I should've done more to keep you involved in Lindsey's life sooner.

NICK: You weren't to know. I was none-the-wiser. It's clearly not affected Lindsey _that_ much…

Catherine sighed as she looked over at the bed where she knew her daughter lay resting, though she couldn't see the twenty one year old's face in the dark. Nick was right of course, Lindsey really had turned into a well-rounded young woman, even if she was leaping into motherhood far sooner than Catherine had ever hoped her little girl would do. As she turned back to her husband she saw that his smile had reappeared and he brought a finger up to trace the tiny palm of their granddaughter. He really was the most wonderful man. So kind, calm, gentle, and so good looking she found it difficult not to stare at him from time to time. His dark brown hair which was beginning to show signs of aging, with a few grey hairs along the sides of his head, his dark eyes which could draw anybody into them, and his broad shoulders which made Catherine weak at the knees whenever she saw him getting dressed or undressed. He was so perfect and she had angered him earlier, such a rare outburst had left his lips and it was all because of her.

CATHERINE: I'm sorry for the way I reacted earlier. I was being selfish.

Nick paused, turning to the woman beside him as she looked back, a guilty expression on her face. He knew it had taken a lot for her to say that, after all apologies weren't really her thing. She looked so tired, the bags under her eyes had not faded once over the past few months, no matter how much concealer she wore. Nick felt so sorry for her and the plight that was rolling around in her mind about Lindsey's birth all those years ago couldn't have helped. He looked back down at their new born granddaughter, just as the little baby's nose wrinkled up in her sleep. The little motion reminded him of how Lindsey was as a baby when he first met her.

_Nick's stomach knotted as he slowed to a walk as he approached the door of the break room, his breathing began to increase as he paused in the doorway. There she was, stood in the middle of the room, her back turned to him as several of their colleagues flocked around her, all wearing huge grins on their faces as they cooed at something in her arms. Nick's heart fluttered a little as he watched her tilt her head back and laugh, her strawberry blonde hair waving gently as she moved. She seemed nervous but well. Much better than she had been when he'd last seen her, on her last day before she went on maternity leave. They had been tying up loose ends on a case that they had worked on a couple of years before, but she had spent most of the shift complaining about the backache she was suffering from and the odd blows to her ribs as the baby kicked. Nick had spent every day since then thinking about her, wondering how she was feeling, a smile on his face every time he remembered the feel of the baby kicking against his hand whilst Catherine grinned at his reaction. He had no idea if she'd let any of their other colleagues feel the baby kick. He wasn't sure if she felt close enough to them to let them touch her stomach. But he'd been close to her, closer than some could have ever dreamed. Nick stepped forward, hardly being able to contain his excitement and curiosity any longer. He reached out and smoothed a hand over the small of her back as he had done so many times over the years that he had known her. To his surprise she didn't flinch and, while it may have been his imagination, she seemed to almost relax her shoulders at his touch. He could smell her perfume which was enough to send a warm comforting wave over his body and as she turned her head to look at him Nick realised just how much he'd missed her. There was colour in her cheeks and her smile grew as her eyes sparkled at him. _

_NICK: Hey._

_CATHERINE: Hey._

_The two adults paused, ignoring the people around them. Nick's eyes trailed from her eyes, across her cheekbones, from her perfect nose and down to the baby in her arms. His heart skipped a beat as he inspected the little human's tiny features. From the pink blanket it was wrapped in he could tell the baby was a girl. Catherine had a daughter. She had confided in him one time during her pregnancy that she'd hoped she was going to have a little girl. Now her wish had come true._

_CATHERINE: Do you want to hold her?_

_Nick hesitated, despite the smile that grew over his face as he nodded. If his attention hadn't been so focused on Catherine's close proximity as she carefully placed her daughter in his arms he would've noticed the groans of disappointment from their colleagues, all of whom were muttering and joking about how they had been first to ask for cuddles with Catherine's baby daughter. As Catherine let the baby's full weight rest in his arms he couldn't believe how light the new born was, and that no more than six weeks ago he had felt her tiny little foot against the palm of his hand through the skin of Catherine's tummy. It was an unusual sensation Nick felt as he gathered the confidence to bring his supporting hand away from the baby's back and over to her tiny little hand which rested casually on her chest as she dozed in his arms. The room seemed to disappear around him so all that remained was himself and this tiny little bit of life in his arms, while her mother stood beside him, her chest pressed absent minded against his arm as she peered at her daughter. _

_CATHERINE: Lindsey this is Nick, Mummy's…work colleague._

_Nick noted the waver in Catherine's voice as she tried to describe her connection to him, and he looked at her to see her face matching the uncertainty in her voice._

_NICK: Lindsey?_

_CATHERINE: Mmhmm._

_He saw her eyes continue to sparkle as she smiled back at him. To anybody listening to their conversation they would presume the two were just conducting small talk, but the two adults held a deeper meaning to their few words. For less than a couple of months before, the two colleagues had sat together in a car driving from a scene back to the lab discussing baby names that Catherine quite liked. Despite the obvious 'Lily' or 'Catherine', she really didn't have many other ideas. After an hour of name suggestions Nick had had one suggestion. 'Lindsey'. Now Nick held the small baby in his arms, looking from her mother down to Lindsey's tiny hand which gripped his little finger._

_NICK: Lindsey Willows… Perfect._

_As he repeated the name softly, the little girl opened her eyes and stared up at him, letting out a tiny squeaky yawn as she wrinkled up her tiny button nose. Nick's heart began to rush with warmth and in that moment he felt that if there was anything he could do to help this child, to protect her in some sort of way then he would do it. Because not only did he hold a love so deep and forbidden for her mother, but he now felt his heart making room for another love. The love of this child._

_EDDIE: What have I missed?_

_Nick saw Catherine shrink back slightly as the room around them, and all who inhabited it, returned to their vision. Nick kept his eyes on Catherine's face as her eyes followed a figure walk from the door towards them, her smile fading slightly to the forced grin he'd seen before when she'd spent many shifts hiding the bruises she'd sustained during Eddie's violent outbursts. Nick turned to his right to see Catherine's husband stood beside him, looking from Catherine, to Nick, to Lindsey, and back again. It was as though his brain was working fast to try to figure out if something was going on between the two adults before him. He'd always been the jealous type had Eddie, a sign of the insecurities he'd built from the multitude of illicit affairs he had taken part in himself. It seemed to Nick as though Eddie believed it was okay for him to cheat on his wife, but it was far from okay for his wife to seek safety, support, and solace in the arms of another man._

_EDDIE: Here we go, let me take her from you Nick, we don't want you dropping her now do we._

_Nick had no choice but to let the man swoop in and pull the baby from his arms. As soon as Lindsey was taken his arms felt empty but to his joy the baby seemed uneasy in her father's arms, and Lindsey began to cry._

_EDDIE: Ah…she always cries when she's with anybody but Catherine._

_Nick squared up to Catherine's husband, standing up tall, feeling a little better knowing Catherine was stood behind him. That was one less person Eddie could lash out at. Now, how was he going to get Lindsey to protect her?_

_NICK: She didn't cry once with me._

_Nick saw Eddie flinch at his words, his lips pursed while his arms wrapped themselves around Lindsey a little tighter, despite the baby's continuation of crying. But instead of angry words leaving the older man's mouth at Nick, Eddie simply looked past him and motioned sternly to his wife:_

_EDDIE: Come on Catherine, it's time we get her home. She's clearly distressed being here._

_Nick looked over his shoulder and watched in surprise as Catherine obediently moved around her colleagues and over to her husband, taking her baby girl back in her arms and placing a soothing kiss on her daughter's forehead as the little one stopped crying. Nick continued to look at them and felt utterly hopeless. He wanted to scoop them both up and run as fast as he could away from Eddie, away from any danger, where they could be whoever they wanted to be. He would love them with all his heart and love them with all his might._

_CATHERINE: Right, well, see you in a few weeks. I'll pop back in another time, when the little one's a bit calmer._

NICK: She's definitely going to have your strawberry blonde hair.

Catherine smiled as she looked at her granddaughter's hair through the dim early morning light that seeped through the window. He had a point, their granddaughter had very little hair, but the small amount she did have was very light in colour, with a hint of red, just like Lindsey had had when she had just been born.

CATHERINE: She looks just like Lindsey…

NICK: Thank God.

The room went quiet again as the two adults stared at the tiny baby, both thinking the same thing. They weren't sure how they could've coped if the little girl had looked like her father. The grandparents were sick of the thought of him, let alone the idea that they may have had to have been reminded of him every day for the rest of their lives through their granddaughter.

NICK: Oop, she's even got your blue eyes.

Catherine stepped immediately closer to her husband, having not seen their granddaughter's eyes open yet. Sure enough, the baby girl blinked her eyes open, looking up at them with bright blue eyes as she gripped tightly onto Nick's finger. Catherine couldn't believe it, it was like going back in time and staring at her own daughter. She wished she was back at that time, with Nick by her side, carrying the baby girl in his strong arms. They would've then had so many happy years ahead of them ready to bring up their little girl together. Lindsey would've been born a 'Stokes' and who knows, Catherine may have been a 'Stokes' then too? Perhaps they may have had a couple more little 'Stokes''?

NICK: Hey, I told you to put it behind you.

CATHERINE: Huh?

NICK: No more 'what ifs'… The past is the past for a reason, even if you're not entirely happy with the way you lived it, it's done.

CATHERINE: I know but—

NICK: No, no more 'buts'. Forget about what we could've had okay? Look at what we have now. We have each other, we have Lindsey, and we have this beautiful little girl. _She's_ our future now. Just like Lindsey is. Because we both know Lindsey's going to need us, even if she refuses to believe it at the moment.

Catherine let out a little giggle as their granddaughter gave out a tiny yawn with a quiet squeak. Nick was right, she was their future now. They could help raise this child and Nick could become the protective, loving, caring family man she always knew he would be. A hush fell upon the room once again and the two adults stood and stared, in awe of the little bundle of joy before them.

Lindsey lay in her bed silently, hardly daring to breathe in case she caught her parents attention. She was exhausted, her body beginning to ache again as her painkillers wore off, but she had been awake from the moment her father had entered the room. She looked over at her parents, relishing in the opportunity to watch the way they interacted with each other. She still couldn't understand how they were able to read each other's minds, but they did it well. Particularly her dad, who had managed to identify her mother's insecurity's just by looking at her. She hadn't been aware until now that her father had held her as a baby and wondered when that had been, making a mental note to ask her mother one day.

NICK: Have they decided on a name?

Nick looked over at his wife, praying that the youngsters hadn't decided to name the child after a candy bar or whatever celebrities decided on basing children's names on nowadays. To his relief Catherine looked up at him with a twinkle in her bright blue eyes and he immediately calmed again:

CATHERINE: Amelia Catherine.

Nick smiled as he looked down at their granddaughter. Yes, Amelia suited her. A beautiful name for an incredibly beautiful baby girl, though he felt very biased and didn't even care. He wrapped his other arm around Catherine's shoulders, giving her a kiss on the head, and he felt her relax into his body as she reached out a hand and delicately stroked their granddaughter's cheek.

NICK: Amelia Catherine Sanders. Perfect.

* * *

**Well finally an update - don't panic, I'm still alive, just crazy busy :) I think this is the longest chapter yet at over 3500 words. Get**** ready for it to start picking up in the next chapter! Comments and feedback always received gratefully :) best wishes, Sophie xx**


	37. The Beat of the Bleep

Nick stepped into the lab with a huge grin on his face which hadn't left since he'd first set his eyes on his granddaughter little over 24 hours ago. There was a spring in his step and, even though he had just started his shift, he already couldn't wait to finish and go to the hospital to pick Lindsey and Amelia up and take them home. It was a stark difference to how he used to be when he first started those twenty-odd years ago. Back then he couldn't wait to get to work, he couldn't wait to solve cases and get plenty of credit for all the hard work he was put through at crime scenes. He also couldn't wait to get to work for another reason…

_Nick stepped out of the elevator of the CSI Vegas headquarters. His ears picked up the sound of state of the art electronic systems, systems he couldn't wait to learn to use. As he walked down the corridor towards the lockers, he rubbed his eyes. He knew he would get used to the grave shift eventually, but after only 4 days since starting as a CSI he was beginning to struggle. He flounced into the locker room, reaching out for his locker door and opening it. As he peered into the box, trying to remember what he would need from it, his nose caught hold of a sweet vanilla perfumed scent. It was the most enticing perfume he had ever smelt, and he had met a lot of women with a wide variety of perfumes. But this one, well this was the best smell he had ever smelt in his life. _

_As he walked around the block of lockers he realised that he was alone, however the locker directly opposite his smelt of this perfume the strongest. It was funny, he had met most people in his department by now, most of whom were men, so the woman who's perfume this belonged to must be somebody he had never met before. Nick hung his jacket up, picked up a few of his things from inside the locker then made his way over to the break room, his nose picking up the smell of the perfume as he walked along. He walked through the door of the break room and froze as he saw the slim figure of a woman with her back turned to him, bending over as she placed a packed lunch in the fridge. Nick felt a warm sensation in his body as the woman stood upright, her long strawberry blonde hair dangling down her back while she reached out to grab a mug for her coffee. Nick jumped as she spoke: "are you going to stand there staring all day?" Nick stepped towards the woman nervously, wanting to make a mug of coffee himself, and as he approached her he could smell the perfume he had first smelt in the locker room moments before. _

_Words caught in his mouth as he watched her turn towards him, his eyes clinging to hers as she took a surprised little step back almost taking a double-take. Her eyes were the brightest deepest blue, with freckles dotted around her nose and some even on her shoulders which boasted a light red burn against her pale skin. She took his breath away as she gave him a smile and squinted her eyes slightly: "You must be Nicholas." Nick nodded as the woman turned, reaching for the coffee machine and pouring the liquid into two mugs: "Grissom's told me all about you."_

_NICK: All good things I hope._

_He watched as her cheeks rose, a sign that her smile had broadened. She was short, possibly a foot and a half shorter than he was, but she wore heals to make up for it. Nick imagined what it would be like to work with her, to hold her, to maybe even kiss her. It was easy to say that he was really attracted to her. As she turned on the spot she held out a mug of coffee to him, his hand glossing over hers as he took it gratefully. He watched as she leant against the work surface, taking in his features while she sipped her coffee. He wanted to know her name, what her job was within the department, and most importantly whether he would be seeing as much of her at work as he hoped he would. _

_His thoughts were interrupted by a new addition to the room. Nick turned to see his supervisor enter the room, Gill Grissom. Nick still hadn't quite worked him out. The man was quite a bit older than him and highly intelligent, but very much an outsider. Nick knew that Gill didn't partake in sports or the usual hobbies, instead he spent a lot of time at the lab for free, working on different experiments or reading up on beetles, something which Nick was sure he would never understand. The man was passionate about his job and Nick knew that if he needed to impress anybody at his work, it was Grissom. After all, he was the man who would be doling out the promotions._

_GRISSOM: Ah good, I see you've both already met. Nick, this is Catherine, a CSI level 2. Catherine, this is Nick, the guy I've been telling you about._

_Catherine. Even as her name rang around his mind it sounded perfect. Catherine. Nick held out a hand toward the woman who took it with a grin and shook it delicately. _

_CATHERINE: Nick…_

_The sound of his name spoken with her voice made Nick melt. As he felt her touch Nick had a warm sensation rush across his body and he inhaled her perfume _

_GRISSOM: Catherine's just got back from her honeymoon so that's why you haven't met her until now. _

_Nick's heart sank and he noted the ring on her wedding finger. Just his luck to fall for a married woman. And not any old married woman but a newly married one at that. It was strange, for a minute he almost thought he saw a small waver in her smile, but she quickly raised her eyebrows at him and took a sip of coffee:_

_CATHERINE: Yep, two weeks in Hawaiian sun and this is how I end up. Red as a lobster._

_NICK: I think you look beautiful._

_He froze, closing his eyes momentarily at his stupidly airy comment. Naturally he wanted to compliment her, after all she did look amazing, but he didn't want to reveal to her just how much he liked her so soon after meeting. He could feel his cheeks go red as she glanced quickly as Grissom with a small giggle, then looked back at Nick with those blue eyes, her words rippling out of her mouth in a slow flirtatious tone as she smiled, clearly flattered by his attention:_

_CATHERINE: Easy tiger. You won't want to face the wrath of my husband, believe me._

_Nick watched as she eased herself past the two men and over to the TV at the other end of the room. As she switched it on she looked back at Nick, before slowly resuming her focus on the news, her hair swishing slightly with the motion. Nick couldn't stop staring at her, the smell of her perfume getting him caught up in her. Was this love? Was this what love felt like? Because Nick had never felt this way about any woman before. His supervisor gave him a small nudge, speaking to him in a hushed tone._

_GRISSOM: Word of advice? Don't even go there. You're colleagues. I was going to pair you up with her so she can teach you the ropes, be your mentor for a while, but if you're going to struggle to keep your attention on the job…_

_NICK: I won't be distracted._

_Nick knew he was lying and he had a feeling Grissom could sense he was lying too, but the idea of having the opportunity to spend every shift with this beautiful woman was too good an opportunity to miss out on. So he looked at his supervisor straight in the eye._

_NICK: I promise._

Nick cleared his throat and his colleague looked up from the computer screen she was peering at before shooting him a cheeky grin:

SARA: Welcome back Grandad! How's Lindsey doing?

NICK: She's doing great, had to spend a little extra time in hospital as she lost a little more blood than usual, but her vitals are good so I should be picking her, Amelia and Greg up after my shift.

SARA: That's great!

Nick stepped over to the brunette, looking at some of the evidence she had collected the night before at the elevator scene. Catherine had loosely filled him in about what had happened, though her words hadn't been the most coherent as she had only managed an hours nap during the afternoon while she sat in Lindsey's hospital room. All he knew was that the scene she had attended on the top floor of the apartment building had been messy, with brains all over the elevator where the body had been found, and from the looks of the evidence photos, sprawled over the desk beside the computer, Catherine hadn't been lying.

SARA: Catherine's been talking about Amelia nonstop since she got here. Apparently she looks exactly like Lindsey?

NICK: Mmhmm…

His attention was distracted by the screen which showed that a hair strand was being processed for DNA. The system whirred as it flickered through thousands of names and DNA which was held in the lab's mammoth database. Catherine had told him about her suspicions that Jamie Young knew the young man who had been killed due to a photo of him found in the victim's wallet. Nick's eyes skimmed across the evidence and processed photos on the table, before reaching out for a tiny plastic bag which held the photo Catherine had presumably been describing to him. She was right, it was definitely Jamie in that photo, his sneering grin looking at the camera as his arm held possessively over one of the three young women with him. One of the three young women who had been found murdered at the end of last year. To think that one of those young women used to be Lindsey. That Jamie used to have that sort of control over his daughter. His anger began to rise at the sight of the young man's grin.

SARA: Oh boy…

NICK: What?

Nick's attention was drawn away from the photo and back to the computer as it bleeped at the people within the room, notifying them that it had found a match to the DNA in the strand of hair. Nick froze as he saw the mug shot of Jamie Young flashing at him to the beat of the bleep. _Match found_. He had been there. He had been at that apartment block, in that elevator, presumably involved in a scuffle which had resulted in his hair being caught in the elevator's mirror followed by a gunshot to the victim's head. Catherine had been there less than a couple of hours later. She could have been in danger. No matter how much police presence was around her she would've still been in danger. He hoped she was safe now, out on another case of a victim who had been found behind the dumpster of a restaurant with a gunshot wound to his chest. Conveniently for Catherine it was just two blocks from the hospital, so she had told Nick that she planned on popping in to check on Lindsey on her way back to the lab, once she had finished processing the scene.

NICK: We'd better get Brass over to Jamie's house. Bring him in for questioning.

SARA: Nick…

NICK: Listen, the more time he spends here, the less time he spends out there okay? My wife can barely sleep for fear that that _kid_ will turn up on our daughter's doorstep and kill her or our granddaughter or both. So don't even try to stop me sending someone out to arrest that boy!

Nick pointed angrily at Jamie's mug shot which continued to flash on the computer screen. He was getting riled. It was probably down to the lack of sleep he had had over the past 48 hours mixed with the strong love he felt for his family and its vulnerable new addition in the shape of Amelia, who had no idea of the potential danger she was in. Sara clicked the computer for Jamie's personal details ready to relay to Nick, but as the man reached for his cell phone it rang loudly. Nick stared at the caller ID. _Catherine_. He remembered she said she would call him from time to time, just to see how they were getting on with the DNA of the elevator evidence. Boy was she going to be angry about what he was about to say:

NICK: Hey Cath…

Nick stopped mid-flow as he heard somebody crying uncontrollably in the background of her call, the wails echoing off the walls of wherever Catherine was. His heart began to race as Catherine spoke, her voice frantic, afraid, upset, determined:

CATHERINE: Nicky, it's Amelia! She's gone! She's been taken!

Nick's blood ran cold as he recognised the screams of their daughter, demanding to know where her baby was, pleading with anybody who could hear to find her.

CATHERINE: Nicky?

NICK: Stay right where you are, I'm coming to you.

Nick strode out of the laboratory as fast as his feet could take him, adrenaline pumping around his body as he barged between colleagues, all of whom looked back at him in confusion. He didn't care. His mind was focused on one thing and one thing only, getting to his family.

* * *

**Two updates in one day? I've surprised even myself! I really hope you've enjoyed these updates, I really will try to update again soon! Keep those comments a' coming, they're really helping to motivate me :) Sophie xx**


	38. The Pool of Blood

_Catherine yawned heavily as she stepped out of her car, slamming the door behind her slightly harder than she usually would. She was struggling to function properly but simply prayed that the double espresso followed by the latte which she had just downed in the journey over to the scene would kick in soon. She walked under the yellow tape which had been pulled around a wide area behind a fast food joint. Catherine had been there a couple of times before, when the job got exhausting and she was just desperate to get her hands on a big juicy burger to satisfy her hunger. As she approached a body which lay slumped on the floor Brass filled her in on the situation._

_BRASS: This guy was found by the owner of the restaurant about a half hour ago. Looks like a gunshot wound to the chest but the owner knows nothing about it. Its 1am, its dark, a weekday, not a prime time for many witnesses._

_Catherine bent beside the victim and looked up at Brass with raised eyebrows as she pulled her gloves on:_

_CATHERINE: None that would ever admit to seeing anything…_

_Brass shrugged, looking at their surroundings before turning back to her:_

_BRASS: So I'm guessing you're a Grandma now?_

_Catherine's face broadened into a wide smile, looking up at her colleague proudly. She was surprised he hadn't heard along the grapevine by now. Or maybe he had and he was just being polite?_

_CATHERINE: Yep, as of 4.30 yesterday morning. Jim, she's the most beautiful little thing in the world! The spit of Lindsey when she was born._

_JIM: That's really nice. I can't believe Lindsey's now a Mom…_

_CATHERINE: You and me both. For the whole time I spent holding Amelia earlier today I kept looking over at Lindsey thinking "where has the time gone?"._

_JIM: The problem with kids is they grow up too fast. I'd do anything to have my two back to being babies again. Of course I'd want to be the young man I once was too._

_CATHERINE: Naturally..._

_He chuckled whilst Catherine began to inspected the body further. The wound was fresh, definitely made at the scene where the man was found at, the body wasn't just dumped here instead. She looked up at the dumpster to see a couple of small clusters of blood splatter in the bottom left corner of it. The void between the two clusters was enough to belong to the man's torso. With that in mind she loosely concluded that the shot had definitely been made behind the restaurant. Catherine stood up, visualising what position the victim may have been in when he was shot. She stepped to a different angle over the body, bringing her two fingers up as though holding a gun, and held it over the wound. After many, many years of experience of seeing this kind of attack Catherine was able to predict how a person was shot and from what angle. The man had been vulnerable, possibly caught off guard, possibly thrown to the ground. Catherine stooped down to inspect the victim's head. No bruising or blood so chances were he hadn't been beaten to the ground or sprung upon. Once down on the ground it was possible that the attacker had shot him there and then, with no regard for the man's family or for whatever life the man may have had._

_Catherine heard Brass's cell phone ring and he stepped away to answer it. Catherine took a few photos of the body, a few photos of the area around the body, especially the dumpster. She then let her camera hang from her neck as she prepared to check the victim's pockets. Once she had tried to identify him then she would be able to check the scene around him a little more carefully, looking out for any little drop of detail which may help with the investigation. Just as she was about to put her hand into the first pocket of the victim her ears pricked up at the sound of her name. She turned to see Brass returning to the scene with a slightly worried expression on her face. _

_BRASS: There's been a shooting at the hospital. Not sure about victims yet but…apparently it was in the maternity ward._

_Catherine didn't wait for him to continue. She had already stood up and began running to her car. Screw her kit, screw her job. If Ecklie wanted to suspend or fire her for leaving a scene without permission then so be it, she had to get to the hospital, she had to get to Lindsey._

Catherine waded her way through streams of people who were filing out of the hospital obediently. She'd already made it up two flights of stairs, just one more to go. As she reached the top her heart began to race. Where was her daughter? She approached the doors of the ward, pulling her ID badge out as a police officer attempted to ask her who she was. As she stepped through the ward door the corridor was eerily quiet. She was met by a female police officer, 'Rosie' as her badge stated, who motioned down the corridor. Catherine walked with her as the woman spoke:

ROSIE: Hi Ms…?

CATHERINE: Stokes. Call me Catherine.

ROSIE: Catherine, what we know is a young man entered the hospital around forty minutes ago claiming that he was visiting his girlfriend. Our receptionist is new, she let him through.

Catherine was trying to picture the scene, but her mind was only focused on one thing, Lindsey. As they continued down the corridor they began to approach the room Catherine knew to be the room where the new born babies were kept. To her horror she could see an arm lying on the floor coming from the room's door. She hoped there was a body attached to it. As she stopped at the doorway her blood turned cold. Blood was splattered against the pastel yellow walls, and the bodies of two midwives lay dead on the floor, one by her feet at the door, another towards the back of the room, her blood wiped down the wall from where she had fallen. A room that had been so calm and tranquil only hours ago when Catherine had last been there now looked like a scene from a horror movie. There were no babies in their incubators and, as she stepped over the first midwife's body, the police officer continued to talk:

ROSIE: All of the babies are with their mothers. It'd hard to know if they're okay, you know, mentally. Especially after hearing so many gun shots.

Catherine turned to Rosie with a sigh of relief. Well at least the babies were safe. She walked over to the incubator which was her granddaughter's, and glazed a finger delicately over the name tag '_Amelia Catherine Sanders'_.

ROSIE: It's so sad to think that she's been taken.

Catherine looked up quickly. Taken. What did she mean taken? Catherine looked at the police officer. She was young, with dark hair that was held back in a thick plait, probably with no children of her own. Her expression was a look of surprise at Catherine's reaction.

CATHERINE: Who's been taken?

Catherine watched in dismay as the police officer motioned to the very incubator she was stood at. Without any further hesitation Catherine strode out of the room, slipping slightly on the pool of blood that belonged to one of the midwives. That was careless. She was contaminating evidence with her shoes and treading blood down the corridor but she didn't care. She needed to get to Lindsey. A piercing screech reached her ear, stopping her in her tracks as her daughter's distressed voice yelled out at whoever was in the room with her:

LINDSEY: No! No, not my baby!

Catherine began running to the room at the end of the corridor as Lindsey began to wail uncontrollably. As she skidded to a halt at the open door of the room, Catherine stared at the scene before her breathlessly. Two midwives and two police officers stood around the bed, whilst Greg perched on the edge of it, trying to calm and grab the arms of Lindsey who was thrashing about trying to get off the bed to see the empty incubator for herself. Catherine's heart melted as she saw her daughter look up at her with bloodshot blue eyes, tears streaming down her face, and without any further sound Catherine ran over to her daughter and held her with both arms. She felt Lindsey collapse into them, sobbing into her chest as though she were five years old and Catherine looked around at the people within the room. All were staring at the young woman, all with pained expressions on their faces, trying to sympathize. But none of them would know the heartache of having their baby kidnapped, not even Catherine herself, but she could almost connect with her daughter as Lindsey had been kidnapped overnight as a teenager. It had taken Catherine and her colleagues everything to find the girl, and they had, bound, upset and afraid in a dark building. Catherine vowed to never let something like that happen to Lindsey again, however this time Lindsey was afraid and upset for a whole different reason. A completely selfless reason.  
One of the midwives piped up, her voice shaking as she watched the mother and daughter before her.

MIDWIFE: Who could do a thing like this?

GREG: I can think of someone.

Catherine looked from the midwives over to Greg who stared at Lindsey with a stern expression on his pale face, his hand placed supportively on his girlfriend's back. Catherine knew who he was talking about, because she was thinking the same thing too. Suddenly she felt a surge of energy for the first time in several months. She couldn't just sit here and do nothing, it wasn't in her nature.

LINDSEY: Who…?

Catherine reached into her pants pocket and pulled out her cell phone, dialling the last number she had called. As she stood up from the bed, reluctantly peeling Lindsey's arms from around her waist as Greg took her place, Catherine could hear her husband's voice answer her call.

NICK: _Hey Cath…_

Catherine turned to face her daughter as Greg told Lindsey his fear, that Jamie had taken their daughter. Lindsey's face crumpled as she realised the danger her baby was in. The twenty one year old began to wail uncontrollably again as Greg pulled her into a tight embrace. The sounds Lindsey was making were enough to make anybody feel uncomfortable and concerned, and Catherine couldn't handle it any longer.

CATHERINE: Nicky, it's Amelia! She's gone! She's been taken!

Catherine watched as Lindsey raised her head from Greg's shoulder, staring at the midwives and police officers stood nervously around her bed, demanding they give her answers:

LINDSEY: Where is she? Where has he taken her? Please!

Catherine closed her eyes, the sight of her daughter looking so helpless becoming unbearable to watch. She could hear nothing from the phone, Lindsey's voice drowning out any quiet sounds which may have been coming from Nick's side of the conversation.

CATHERINE: Nicky?

Her ear caught every word that Nick spoke. From the sound of his voice, he was angry, and from the sound of the background noise from his side of the call he was walking fast. She knew he would do everything within his power to get to them as soon as possible. It was less than two miles between the lab and the hospital. He could make it there in 10 minutes if he needed to, and it was his words that helped reassure Catherine that she wasn't going to have to go through this alone.

NICK: Stay right where you are, I'm coming to you.

The call ended and Catherine slowly brought the cell down from her ear, snapping the device closed as she walked back over to the bed. As Lindsey saw her mother approach the bed she stopped wailing, her body sending out the occasional uncontrollable sob. Catherine's expression was sober but determined. The mother turned to the police officers, her hands on her hips:

CATHERINE: I need you both to go down the corridor to meet the crime lab team who should be arriving very soon. They'll need to know what they're dealing with.

The two officers, clearly shaken by Lindsey's outcries, nodded and obediently walked out of the hospital room and down the corridor. Catherine turned to the midwives, who had been looking at each other, unsure of what to do next. Their job was to keep the mother's best wellbeing during and shortly after birth. What had happened had been out of their control, Catherine knew that, but she needed them out of the room for a short while. The woman brought her hand up to Lindsey's tear stained face, brushing the young woman's hair out of her eyes before turning back to the midwives:

CATHERINE: Could you please get my daughter some fresh drinking water? Perhaps a wet flannel and a towel as well?

The two midwives nodded then walked out of the room to find what was required as instructed. Catherine took a deep breath and stared at the clock which hung above the door. 2am. Twenty four hours ago she had been here waiting impatiently for her granddaughter to arrive. Now she was having to wait impatiently again, this time for her husband to arrive. At least one thing she could guarantee was that his arrival was going to be more imminent than Amelia's.

LINDSEY: Mom? What are we going to do?

Catherine looked down at her daughter, Lindsey's big blue eyes staring up at her, so afraid. Catherine sat on the other side of the bed, taking her daughter's hand and wiping a tear from the young woman's face. There weren't many times when Catherine could protect her daughter anymore, after all Lindsey now had Greg to do that for her. She could sense frustration through Greg's posture but she didn't look at the young man. Instead she looked straight into her daughter's eyes and spoke calmly and firmly.

CATHERINE: You are going to stay right here with Greg where you'll be safe. Me and your father…well, we're going to find Amelia, we're going to bring her home, and we're going to make sure that Jamie _never_ crosses our family again.

* * *

**Eek! Jamie best be watching his back, because he's got one angry set of parents/grandparents ready to hunt him down!**

**Thanks for the feedback already guys :) its starting to hot-up xx**


	39. The First Port of Call

_NICK: You're sure that's the address?_

_SARA: I'm positive, Greg and I were there several months ago to process his room remember?_

_Nick couldn't remember, but why would his colleague lie? He just didn't like how close to the house Jamie had always been. Three blocks away. He might as well have been living on their street. For all he knew the young man could've been keeping an eye on their house and their every moves from the moment he'd left Lindsey all those months ago. The idea sent a chill down Nick's spine as he returned to the hospital room, approaching the bed that Lindsey laid in while Catherine tenderly wiped a cool flannel across the young woman's tear-stained cheeks. His wife looked up at him, giving him a look which he knew was asking if he'd got the address from Sara like he'd hoped. He nodded towards her and the woman put the flannel down, slowly easing off the bed as Sara spoke down the phone again:_

_SARA: Nick, please don't do anything stupid. Don't go there without backup. You and Catherine aren't going to be any use to Lindsey if you're both dead!_

_NICK: Thanks Sara._

_He hung up the conversation just as Sara was yelling at him not to do anything stupid. He didn't care what she thought. He didn't care what anybody thought. He now knew the address of the little git who had kidnapped his granddaughter. There was no way he was going to sit patiently waiting for the police to go to the house in the hope of finding Jamie, God knows what the guy could've done by then. He saw his wife approach his side, knowing they needed to go. From the moment he had arrived, setting eyes on that horrific scene in the new-borns room, through to the state that his daughter had worked herself up into, Nick knew that he had to do something to sort everything out. It was practically the first thing Catherine had said to him when he had arrived at the room. That they needed to find Amelia as soon as possible, to which he had agreed wholeheartedly. If ever there was going to be a team to find that baby girl it would be them. No other members of the force or investigation team were able to communicate without words. Nobody except for Nick and Catherine. Both knew the other's moves almost as well as themselves._

_NICK: Your mother and I are going to find her Linds, I promise._

_Nick watched as Lindsey looked over at him anxiously. He knew she felt concerned for her parent's safety, especially as she had heard what had happened to the fatalities on the ward already. Nick walked over to the bed and to his surprise Lindsey flung her arms around his waist, holding him tightly as she sighed into his chest. She was tired, he could tell she was, and all the emotions of the past 48 hours were catching up with her. The sooner he found Jamie, the sooner he would find Amelia, the sooner he could return her to Lindsey, the sooner they could go back to normal again._

_LINDSEY: Please be safe._

_NICK: We will._

_Her words took him aback. When had he ever gone into something dangerous without taking his own safety into account? He loved her far too much to ever want to get into a situation where he could risk never being around for her._

_LINDSEY: I love you Dad._

_NICK: I love you too._

_Nick kissed the top of his daughter's head before stepping away from the bed. As Catherine stepped over to give Lindsey a hug, Nick turned to Greg who looked up at him with a concerned expression:_

_NICK: Take care of her yeah? Make sure she doesn't go out of the room if she can help it. It's really bad down there._

_He watched as Greg nodded, then the two men turned to the women on the bed. Catherine had wrapped one arm around Lindsey's body, the other around the back of her head, gently stroking her daughter's strawberry blonde hair whilst whispering reassuring words over and over again. Lindsey clung to her mother's arm, desperate to keep her with her it seemed, but the older woman began moving away, placing a large kiss on her daughter's cheek before sliding off the bed._

_LINDSEY: Love you Mom._

_CATHERINE: I love you too sweetie. Don't worry, we'll be back before you know it._

Nick pulled up to the house across the street from Jamie's apparent home address. As he turned the engine off he sighed heavily, feeling nervous for the first time in a while. The adrenaline he had felt over the past hour had been so intense he'd forgotten about the lack of sleep he had missed over the past couple of days.

Catherine turned to her left to stare across the road at their desired location. The lights of the house were turned out. The place looked empty. Her gaze wandered to her husband who sighed whilst staring out at the house. He had been so riled up on the journey over here, repeatedly threatening to kill the young man should he get the opportunity. Nick had always had a passion for some cases, particularly when children were involved, and because Catherine was so pissed about Jamie she hadn't tried to stop him like she usually did.

_CATHERINE: First port of call Nicky, never get hung up on a case._

_She stared at the young man who sat motionless, staring into his mug of coffee that stood before him on the bar of the little diner around the corner from their work. Catherine felt sorry for the guy. He was so young, so innocent even for an ex-cop. If she could've chosen any type of first case to have him assist her on out in the field, it would have definitely not been the case of a missing child which happened to have been found decapitated in a trashcan on the outskirts of the city. She'd never seen anything like it before, but it hadn't been her first decapitated body. They sat together, side-by-side, against the bar of the diner, both with coffee's in front of them, Catherine's treat after a very long shift. She had spent the past twelve hours talking him through the process of processing a scene, something he had never done before. It had taken a long time. He had been eager as they'd drove over there, but as soon as he'd set his eyes on the body he'd gone quiet and nervous, a quality which Catherine had found endearing and refreshing. Previous colleagues who Grissom had set her to train up had been far too cocky, wading in claiming they knew exactly what to do when actually they made things worse. Fortunately those men came and went, finding the pressure of the unsociable hours and heavy workload too much of a burden. But there was something about Nick's attitude which attracted her to him. Naturally he was very good looking, but it was his respect for her and his eagerness to soak up every word she spoke which made Catherine feel very comfortable around him – and it was only their first shift together! All of a sudden he stood up, went to walk in one direction, spun on the spot to walk the other, then paused holding his head with his eyes closed._

_NICK: I've got to do something. Call the parents, find the killer, something!_

_Catherine leapt to her feet, reaching up and bringing his hands down from his head to his sides, gripping them so his eyes were brought down to hers. This was a natural process which any decent human being who began on the job felt like, that sense of helplessness. She knew it would pass, but she hadn't expected this reaction from the man who had boasted to her on the car journey over to the crime scene that he hunted with his family during the season of thanksgiving and knew how to gut a stag._

_CATHERINE: Nicky look at me._

_She watched his shoulders relax as his brown eyes bore into hers. She was tired. She needed to go home and try to put this case behind her, at least until she returned to work later that night. She had to get home and rustle up some breakfast for Eddie who would probably be returning home from the club at any time soon, no doubt with a huge appetite as usual. She needed to rest up, ready to continue this case should the evidence reveal anything productive for the dayshift team:_

_CATHERINE: Listen I know this is frustrating, but we can't do anything now. All we need to do is wait. Wait until the evidence is processed. It will feel as though you're waiting forever, but believe me the moment you get the results you're looking for…well the rush is incredible._

_Nick had frozen, his mind which had once been jumbled with a multitude of gory images from the investigation now cleared as he felt his colleague's soft hands holding his. He stared at her face as she looked into his eyes pointedly, her eyebrows raised as she emphasised the importance of keeping a cool head. He couldn't help but admire her. From the moment they had stepped out of her car and walked under that yellow tape Nick had been watching her every move; how calm she was when she approached the body, how quick she was to delegate tasks to everybody around her including Nick, the way she sometimes muttered her thought process under her breath. She had pre-warned him on their journey over that it was best he watched how she worked and just observed her methods as it was his first DB, but before he knew it she was describing her process bit by bit and explaining why she was doing it. She had him take swabs, collect a couple of hair particles, and even suggest to her what he thought may have happened for the body to have arrived there._

_Nick watched as Catherine gave him a small wink with a smile, before she sat back down and took a sip of her coffee. He was still mesmerised by her. He had never known a woman to be so calm, yet sharp and feisty when necessary, to have such an unsociable, lonely, difficult job which required so much of her. Whoever her husband was, he was a very lucky man._

_CATHERINE: So, are you gonna drink that or what?_

Nick stared at the house across the road, his hands dropping from the steering wheel while he tried to work out a plan. What would be the best way into the building without causing a scene? What if Jamie wasn't there? Where would they go next? Where could Jamie have possibly taken Amelia? As Nick slowly began to panic, he felt his wife's soft hand envelope over his, her fingers entwining his fingers, and Nick looked to his right to see her blue eyes looking at him in concern, her face looking white as a sheet in the dim light of the streetlamps. He couldn't imagine anybody he would want to be with right now more than her. As he squeezed her hand reassuringly, he remembered the first time he realised that this woman might have feelings for him:

_NICK: I've seriously never seen a woman eat so much in my life._

_He laughed as Catherine swiped his arm playfully with a huge grin on her face. They had just walked out of a roadside café in the middle of nowhere on the way back from interviewing a potential witness. Catherine had eaten six pancakes with maple syrup followed by a milkshake. Nick had just gone for the shake._

_CATHERINE: I love pancakes! _

_NICK: Hey you don't need to give me an excuse, I just have no idea where you put it all!_

_Nick smiled as he watched his colleague walk beside him, her arms folded just under her chest while she shook her head slightly with a giggle. It had been a long shift, the longest Nick had worked since he'd started at the beginning of the year, and he was certain he would've never have got through it if it hadn't been for her. He remembered the first time he'd met her, he'd been immediately attracted to her, who wouldn't be? But since then he had worked every shift alongside her, every gruelling case, learning every tip she could possibly share with him, and he'd realised that there was something the two of them shared which he had never shared with anybody before. This thing, however, he couldn't put his finger on it. He watched as Catherine purposefully knocked the side of her body against his playfully with a giggle:_

_CATHERINE: I don't eat that often Nicky. And when I do, I have a fast metabolism. _

_They approached his car, Nick jumping into the driver's seat while Catherine slid into the passenger seat. He smiled at her as she put her seatbelt on, taking a deep breath as her perfume filled his car again. She must have sprayed it when she went to the bathroom after her breakfast. Nick went to start the engine but stopped as he felt her soft hand envelope his. The action surprised him and he turned to his right to see her looking at him with her bright blue eyes. He looked at her expectantly as she opened her mouth, ready to say something. Her face scrunched up slightly as she sighed and turned away from him, removing her hand from his. Nick was confused as he continued to watch his colleague, her cheeks reddening slightly from embarrassment. Her voice was quiet as she spoke, staring out of the windscreen:_

_CATHERINE: We should get back to the lab._

_Nick nodded, starting the engine up and pulling away from the desert café. The journey back into the city where the lab resided was impossibly silent. Neither adult dared to speak for fear of saying the wrong thing and Nick realised that this was the longest time he had ever been in Catherine's company without speaking to her. Usually they spoke about a scene they had just investigated, about Nick's impending assessment which meant that if he passed he would become a CSI level 1, if they had any other job in the world what it would be. Nick could tell from the look on Catherine's face that her mind was whirring, desperate to tell him something, but for some reason she felt the need to keep it to herself. By the time they pulled up to the headquarters, the two colleagues had spent two hours in silence which had only been cut cleanly by the radio blasting from the car speakers after Nick had found the awkward environment too much to bear. To Nick's surprise, getting out of the car was as though Catherine had completely forgotten about what had happened, and he watched her grin at him with a refreshed expression as he lugged her kit out of the back of his car. _

_CATHERINE: So you're gonna be a top CSI Level 1 when I get back then, right?_

_Nick smiled at her as they both walked through the reception and security barriers of their work. He watched her look back at him with a grin as she led the way to the elevators. As he watched her reach out for the button of the machine he stared at her petite figure while her hair waved slightly in the air from the heater above them. He still couldn't believe she was eight years older than him. She didn't act like it. Well, she acted responsible, she took responsibility for his training, she was married which was a big responsibility in itself. She just looked younger, and there was this way she spoke to him in a way that was non-authoritative that many older women he knew liked to do. She acted as though they were on the same level, as though they were the same age, as though they'd known each other forever. He was really going to miss her for the next ten days that she was away on holiday with her husband._

_NICK: You bet. _

_As the elevator doors pinged open the two CSI's entered the metal transporter alone, ready for the long journey up to their department floor. Nick listened to Catherine, captivated by her words as she spoke animatedly at him while they stared at the closed doors of the elevator._

_CATHERINE: Grissom will observe you on one investigation and an assessor from outside our department will observe you with another. You're gonna do it Nicky, I know you are!_

_She gave his arm a little encouraging squeeze and Nick turned to smile at her. He loved how affectionate she always seemed. She was never afraid of personal space, of grabbing his arm, of nudging him while they walked, or even standing extra close to him while they waited for the coffee machine to brew in the break room. Nick couldn't work out yet if this was how she was with most people or just with him. He hadn't seen her act this way around their colleague Warwick, who had joined the team six weeks after Nick had, but then again Warwick hadn't been chosen to be mentored by Catherine like Nick had. _

_CATHERINE: I'm just sorry I'm not going to be about when you're assessed._

_NICK: Yeah, but you deserve a good holiday away from the madness of Vegas and our crazy long hours. Besides you need some quality time with Eddie, the poor guy barely sees you because you have so much work to do here._

_Nick watched with surprise as Catherine's face fell slightly. He felt guilty that she was barely home. She was always here when he arrived at work, and she always stayed after he finished to complete paperwork which she never seemed to do during the shift because she was always so busy making sure that his processing and investigation technique was correct. _

_Catherine looked away from her colleague as his smile faded. She didn't have the confidence to confess to him that she found excuses to stay at work for longer than necessary. She could complete the paperwork required when training Nick while they were processing a crime scene, but she saved all the paperwork for after the official finishing time of her shift. Most people would call her crazy, but there was method in her madness. She didn't like to be home too much because she knew that not long after getting home her husband would get home, drunk and probably angry because he would have lost money on the slots. _

_Nick supposed it was the curse of being a CSI Level 2 – all the extra paperwork. He had all of that to look forward to. He wanted to make her smile again, so he nudged her arm and shot her a grin as she looked up at him, curious to know why he was smiling:_

_NICK: Well at least you don't have to put up with this idiot and his stupid rookie mistakes for the next 10 days!_

_CATHERINE: I don't think you're an idiot._

_Catherine had furrowed her brow at his little joke and Nick's face softened a bit, having not anticipated that reaction from her, he just presumed she would laugh. She had responded so quickly. Her face looked sincere and Nick's smile dropped as she looked back at the elevator doors, clearing her throat slightly:_

_CATHERINE: You're the nicest guy I've ever had the pleasure of working with. You just…get me._

_The elevator fell silent again as both colleagues hung on the last words Catherine had spoken. Nick felt elated. That was it. She'd just said the very thing that Nick had been so desperate to put his finger on. He got her. And she got him. They just had this mutual understanding of each other which nobody else had. He watched as Catherine turned to him slightly, looking into his eyes with a sad smile:_

_CATHERINE: I'm really going to miss you over the next couple of weeks Nicky._

_Her voice had been soft and sad, and Nick's heart began beating faster as he processed her words. He couldn't quite understand why she would miss him, after all she was away in Barbados while he was stuck at work, surrounded by everything that would remind him of her. It was going to be the first time in 10 months that he wouldn't be seeing her at work, and that realisation made him feel quite sad._

_NICK: Not as much as I'm going to miss you. _

_At the sound of his words spoken in his soft southern accent Catherine melted. It was crazy but she had in recent months he had been the reason why she had been going to work. To see him, to hear his voice and his compliments. She enjoyed his company and had enjoyed being able to spend every shift with him over the past 10 months. It made her sad to think that the moment he was signed off as a Level 1 he would no longer be hers to mentor. Of course she would need to 'keep an eye on him' as any mentor would be required to, but he would no longer be in need of her formal assistance like he had been. He would be a fully-fledged CSI, assigned to cases with different people, not just her, and the thought of this made her feel slightly sad._

_Nick had to catch his breath as Catherine stepped towards him, flinging her arms around his neck. Her warm breath fell by his ear and he took the opportunity to breathe in the scent of her hair as he closed his eyes and savoured the moment. This felt so right to Nick. He had of course held many women in his arms, but there was something about Catherine which felt different. The elevator pinged as it arrived at their floor and she quickly stepped back, unwrapping her arms from around him and curling her strawberry blonde hair behind her ears in slight embarrassment. The two colleagues walked down the corridor towards the locker room, neither knowing what to say as they both smiled at each other and kept catching each other's eyes. They stepped into the locker room together, and Nick walked over to his locker, hearing Catherine walk over to hers directly opposite. Nick could do nothing but think about her arms that had wrapped around him earlier. Her hug had been tight, as though she hadn't wanted to let go, but maybe he was making it up. Maybe it was all in his head, something he only wanted to believe because he hadn't wanted to let her go. As he shrugged his jacket on he turned as he heard his colleague close her locker. To his surprise she had already put her coat on, gathered her things and was standing motionless, looking at him, as though waiting for him to say something. But his mind went blank as he saw her in the coat which showed off her slim figure. He couldn't think of what to say. It was as though this was the last time he was ever going to see her._

_CATHERINE: Right, well, I guess I'll see you in a couple of weeks then._

_Nick nodded with a smile, his eyes focusing on hers as she stepped around the bench which ran between the two sides of lockers, and leaned towards him, placing a kiss on his cheek. Nick froze, his skin tingling on the part of his cheek that her lips had rested on._

_CATHERINE: Good luck Nicky._

_Her words whispered into his ear before she took a step back, shot him a small wink with a smile, then walked away. Nick remained rooted to the spot as he watched her leave the room, his insides racing as though he was on an illegal high. That kiss may be enough to keep him going over the next couple of weeks._

NICK: Are you ready?

He watched his wife nod slowly, her face looking determined, if not slightly tainted with concern. She reached into the glove compartment of his car, pulling out his hand gun and handing it to him before picking out her own. They had talked long and hard on their journey over about whether or not to take any weapons into the house with them, but with several dead bodies presumably caused by Jamie they couldn't take the risk of going in unarmed. It was clear that the kid had a gun, they needed to protect themselves somehow. As Nick took his gun, Catherine brought a hand up to his face, and he leant over to her placing his lips firmly onto her lips, feeling calmer as she kissed him back while her hand caressed his cheek as they embraced.

Soon they resumed their positions, giving each other an understanding nod, before they simultaneously opened their doors of the car, and exited into the warm air of the dark early morning. This was it. Time to get their granddaughter back.

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**Just a couple of sweet flashbacks before Nick & Catherine may or may not find their granddaughter. Thanks again to those for the feedback and to everybody who subscribes to this story :) hope you are all well! Sophie x**


	40. The Dim Light of the Lamp

Nick stood, his hand trembling slightly as the barrel of his gun pointed directly in front of him, in the direction of Catherine who stood opposite, her gun pointing directly back at him. Both of them tried to contain their anger, their breathing increasing with every passing moment, but neither were sure how long it would be before they pulled their trigger.

_Nick ran across the road from his car, hearing his wife follow him silently. They both stopped beside a wall that ran around the front garden of the house, and he looked over to Catherine who watched him, ready for instructions. They had been through situations similar to this before, situations which required them to work as a team in complete silence. The early morning air was warm and quiet. No sounds other than the slight breathing from the two adults as adrenaline began to kick in. As he peered over the wall to look at the house, Nick noticed a dim light coming from the front right hand window. A light he could only presume was coming from a lamp as it was too dim to be a room light and too bright to be a torch light. Had it been on when they had arrived in the car? Or had it been turned on whilst they'd been crouching beside this wall? A noise came from within the house which, for a moment, made Nick breathe a sigh of relief. A baby was crying. His granddaughter. She was alive. Nick took Catherine's hand and began slowly making his way around the wall with the intention of approaching the house from the side of the garden so as to remain inconspicuous. He could feel his heart racing as he stopped outside the front door of the house, his only source of sanctuary coming from the feel of Catherine's hand which gripped his tightly. He saw the front door was open a crack and Nick looked over his shoulder as Catherine pressed her body against his back, giving his hand a squeeze to let him know she was ready. Nick tentatively pushed the door open with a long creak, remaining against the wall as he peered through darkness into the seemingly uninhabited house. The only source of light came from that lamp, which stood on a small table by the door of what Nick could only presume was the lounge. Nick's heart rushed as he heard the sound of Amelia continuing to wail. They were so close to her. He could sense Catherine's agitation, so slowly began to creep into the house, letting go of her hand as he did so. He motioned for her to continue down the hallway with the hope that the room at the back of the house would lead to the back of the room he was about to step into._

_Taking a deep breath, hardly knowing what to expect, he brought his gun out in front of him, ready for any attack should Jamie intend on shooting. As he stepped around the door of the lounge his eyes took in the view before him. The room he had entered was the lounge, lit only by the lamp he had stopped beside. The walls were decorated head to foot in framed photos presumably of family members. There was no way this was Jamie's house, but Nick remembered Sara saying it had been the address of Jamie & his mother's. To his left was a long sofa, behind him to his right, in the corner of the room, was a large, old television. Lining the fireplace there were ornaments, and in front of him was an armchair. In the armchair sat Jamie, his tired green eyes looking up at Nick in an almost demented fashion. The young man tried desperately to make Amelia quiet, but she kept crying, clearly distressed._

_JAMIE: I blame you for this. You know, she wouldn't keep crying if she knew who I was._

_As the young man looked down at the baby, Nick noticed the state of his white shirt, covered in blood, old and new. To his horror, Jamie carried a gun which he held in his right hand which was clearly loaded and ready to shoot, while he held Amelia on his lap, his left hand holding her head gently. Nick had to admit, the young man was holding the baby correctly if he took the gun out of the occasion. Nick slowly approached the armchair but soon realised it was a bad move. Jamie looked up, realising that Nick had come closer, and stood up abruptly, holding Amelia in his left arm while he pointed his gun at Nick with his right. Jamie laughed as he stared at Nick's gun, a crazed look in his eyes._

_JAMIE: You're not going to shoot me while I'm holding her!_

_Nick knew he was right, and it was this fact which made him angrier and angrier. All he wanted to do was send a bullet right for this kid's head, take his granddaughter and run. But he couldn't run the risk. As his breathing began to intensify with frustration, he looked ever so slightly past Jamie, to see Catherine appear from the darkness, the room she had been sent to having been the room they hoped would come out to the back of the lounge. She had her gun held up to Jamie's head, her face revealing her anger at the young man's cockiness. Jamie clearly sensed her presence and continued to laugh over the sound of Amelia's wailing:_

_JAMIE: Ha! Brilliant! I knew Lindsey's parents would come after me, I just knew it!_

_Nick stood, his hand trembling slightly as the barrel of his gun pointed directly in front of him, in the direction of Catherine who stood opposite, her gun pointing directly back at him. Both of them tried to contain their anger, their breathing increasing with every passing moment, but neither were sure how long it would be before they pulled their Jamie stood between the two barrels without so much of a flinch._

NICK: Are you sure it's wise to expose a baby to so much violence at such a young age?

Catherine took another step forward as her husband spoke, her breath kept catching in her lungs as her heart continued to race. She could see the top of her granddaughter's head bobbling about as it rested on Jamie's shoulder. What she wouldn't give to be able to just pop a bullet in his head and get this ordeal over with. But it was too much of a risk with Amelia still in his arms. They needed to find a way to get Jamie to put her down somewhere. Catherine had to admit Nick was doing a good job at keeping his cool. It wasn't the first time he had had a gun pointed at him, just like her he had been threatened on many an occasion by a suspect who felt the need to intimidate using their gun, it was the curse of their job sometimes. Jamie continued to answer Nick, his voice loud as he tried to talk over the baby's wails. He was getting more and more agitated by the minute:

JAMIE: Hey my Dad always brought me up around guns.

Catherine cringed as the young man pointed his gun casually at the baby before pointing it back at Nick. The three adults stood silently as Amelia's wails continued to sound. It was clearly affecting each of them, two of the adults wanting to help the child, the other beginning to lose his patience with her:

JAMIE: Will you just _SHUT UP_ for one minute okay? I'm your father, you have to do what I say!

Everything Jamie had just said exposed a string of revealing signs that he had come from a violent background, and Catherine had to take a deep breath to hold her tongue, desperate to say something yet desperate to keep Amelia safe. She remembered his background checks when she had interviewed him as a suspect several months back. His mother had apparently been widowed young, but had been the victim of domestic abuse. The death of her husband had resulted in an almost fresh start for the woman, but how fresh could it have been with her son potentially following in his father's footsteps?

CATHERINE: Jamie if you just put her down on the armchair I'm sure she'll stop crying.

She could almost hear the cogs whirring inside the young man's head, hesitating, as though afraid that she would be right. Catherine could tell that Amelia wasn't being held properly, that the baby was picking up on all the negative vibes within the room and that was why she was upset. To her relief, Jamie sighed, clearly tired from the traumatic day he had caused.

JAMIE: I'll only put her down if you put down your guns.

Catherine hesitated. Now there was a big risk. The moment they put their guns down would be the moment Jamie had the advantage. She weighed up whether or not she could make the shot right now. She couldn't shoot for fear of hitting her granddaughter or her husband and presumed that was the reason why Nick hadn't done the same. She watched as Jamie motioned to the two of them, then to the floor space below him, suggesting they place the guns there. Catherine wasn't stupid, so slowly began to step past Jamie, past the spot he had been motioning to, and to the space beside her husband. She watched Nick chuck his gun at the place required and she followed suit. To her relief Jamie placed the baby down on the armchair as instructed and Amelia gradually stopped crying. The house fell eerily silent. Jamie forced a smile of disbelief as he looked from Amelia to the two CSI's, shaking his head lightly while muttering:

JAMIE: I can't believe that worked.

CATHERINE: Well, I'm a mother, I know how this baby thing works.

JAMIE: Yeah well I'm her father!

Catherine winced as she watched Jamie use his gun to motion towards himself, Amelia then over to them again. He really needed to put that thing down before he hurt somebody. Catherine was beginning to get angry, he had no right to kidnap their granddaughter, no right to kill those that had been in his way, no right to trample all over their lives.

CATHERINE: It takes more than just being a sperm donor to be a father. A good father is brave, kind, strong and protective of their child, makes sure they don't get into danger.

JAMIE: Ha! What about him?

Catherine's stomach twisted as she watched Jamie point his gun aggressively at Nick, who froze, barely breathing. Why did she get the feeling what Jamie was about to say would rile her further?

JAMIE: Lindsey met me. Lindsey got pregnant _by_ me. Now that's hardly being protective is it? He's hardly stopped her from getting into danger has he? No, Lindsey has never needed him!

Catherine couldn't quite see where he was going with this. Sure, if Nick had known he was Lindsey's father, heck if _she_ had known he was Lindsey's father, then Nick would've done everything within his power to protect Lindsey. To stop her from meeting guys like this. She knew he would've done.

JAMIE: See, now I think I'm going to do Lindsey a favour here…

Catherine furrowed her brow as she watched Jamie begin to pace in front of them, waving his gun about a bit as he explained his thoughts. She turned to Nick for a moment, the man also furrowing his brow, as though confused by the young man's thought process.

JAMIE: …I'm going to help her with her Dad the way I was helped with mine.

Catherine's heart dropped, her mind flitting back to Jamie's case file, the case file she had read hundreds of times. The one thing that had always stuck out for her was the death of his father. Jamie had been fourteen and had witnessed his father shot in the chest during a drive-by shooting. As if in slow motion, Catherine saw Jamie quickly raise his gun to Nick's chest. She reached out to grab Nick's arm but as she did so she heard three shots from different parts of the room, her breath becoming caught again in her lungs as she saw the body of the young man fall dead at her feet. Her hand grasped for Nick, but all she caught was thin air.

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**Been planning these last few chapters since I first started this fic back in 2009. Cant believe I've finally got to the part in the story when I can publish them! Next chapter should be up soon, but not for a few days I'm afraid (busy life, but depends how desperate people are for the next chapter) Sophie xx**


	41. The Most Unfortunate of Circumstances

Armed police barged through the front and back doors of the dark house, all yelling orders for the inhabitants within to stand down. Jim Brass strode in through the front door, peering through the darkness towards the dim light within the living room. He'd given the order to shoot only moments earlier. Yes there had been a huge risk of hitting one of his colleagues, but it was a risk he'd had to take, and he was glad he had. He entered the living room amongst a swarm of armed police, his leader of the squad bent over the body of a young man Brass recognised instantly as Jamie Young. As the officer looked up at him shaking his head slightly the Detective knew the young man was dead and a small wave of relief rushed over his body. Another dangerous individual was off the streets, even if it had been in the most unfortunate of circumstances. He wasn't looking forward to informing the media about this desperate end to the manhunt, particularly as they would only twist it to make it look as though the department had lapsed in their investigation, giving Jamie too much opportunity to slip through their fingers.

From the moment the bullets had flown around the room Catherine had frozen. She had stared in disbelief at the dead body of the young man before her. Her mind was whirring. Why didn't she feel happy or relieved? Was it the shock? That for a moment she had believed that she and Nick had been about to die? _Nick._ Catherine realised, as she watched the armed police swarm in, that she still had her arm stretched out with the intention of grabbing onto her husband. It had all happened so quick. The gun shots. The commotion following.

Her stomach plummeted as she looked down to her left, a blood curdling scream emanating from her lungs, and she fell to her knees with an almighty thud. But it didn't hurt. Nothing hurt, because she had become numb. Numb with fear. She thought she could hear the sound of Brass speaking with one of the officers beside Jamie's body but she didn't care. Her hands reached out, shaking as she pulled at Nick's arms and torso. Her husband lay in shock, watching her every move, his brown eyes focused on her agonisingly pained expression as she peered in horror at the gunshot wound to his chest. Her voice sounded broken as she choked through the tears which were streaming down her cheeks:

CATHERINE: Nicky? Can you hear me?

Her hands reached out to smooth her fingers across his cheeks and through the hair on his head. His cheeks were clammy and her blood ran cold through her veins. He was so pale, despite the small smile he forced onto his face:

NICK: This really hurts.

She could tell he was trying to shed humour onto the horrifying incident, but she never broke into a smile. How could she? She had seen wounds like this on victims before now. The type of shots which ripped through organs, the heat from the bullet shredding skin, veins, arteries. The shot from Jamie's gun had been so close-range, it was a miracle he was still alive, but Catherine didn't hold onto miracles, because they never lasted for long. As she pulled her hand away to wipe away some of her tears Nick reached up and grabbed onto it, encouraging her to lean further towards him, which she did so willingly. Her heart was pounding, desperate to switch places with him.

NICK: Tell Lindsey I love her. Tell Amelia that I love her too. Tell them every day…

Catherine shook her head with a sniff, grabbing hold of the sleeves of his jacket and trying to pull him up, knowing that it wouldn't work, nor that it was a good idea.

CATHERINE: No, don't say that. You're _not_ saying goodbye!

Catherine heard her sniffs echoing slightly around the room. She knew there were people around them, but the room and everybody within it had slipped into obscurity. She felt so helpless as she clung desperately to the anchor in her life, trying to stop him from gliding away into the unknown.

NICK: Catherine, I can't feel my legs.

His voice had sounded more afraid than Catherine had ever heard him sound before. The two adults knew what that meant. That Nick's body had automatically gone into survival mode, encouraging the blood from his legs and lower body to rush up to his heart and the wound where it was needed the most. Unfortunately for Nick it just meant the wound was bleeding faster, too fast for him to control. Catherine brought her hand onto the wound, wishing to place pressure on it to help it to stop bleeding. She could feel it throbbing beneath her to the beat of his heart, knowing it was working full pelt to try to keep Nick alive. But as Nick's heart rate began to slow, his breathing became shorter, and her tears began to fall faster.

CATHERINE: I'm so sorry Nick, for everything! I wish I'd done everything in my life with you, and I wish we'd done it all sooner!

Catherine couldn't hear anything other than the sounds of her own sobs, refusing to ever begin to acknowledge the people around her. She didn't even hear the sirens of the ambulance which was on its way down the street. Her voice was broken as she choked through her tears to try to get words out. All the words she had ever wanted to say to him. Nick's voice became weaker and weaker:

NICK: I'd rather have had these past six months together than had a lifetime without telling you how I felt. I love you Catherine.

CATHERINE: I love you too.

Catherine leant her head down, her lips enveloping his. His lips were weak, with barely enough energy to kiss her back, his clammy face feeling as though it was melting beneath her hand, but she didn't care. She didn't want to pull away, to draw herself back to reality, the idea that this may be their final kiss shooting the fear of God through her body. Catherine paused. She couldn't feel his heartbeat anymore. She couldn't feel him kissing her back. With a nervous, shuddery breath Catherine leant back to inspect her husband's body, just in case he was joking. He had to be joking, right?

Brass watched on hopelessly from his position beside Jamie, as a wail came out of his colleagues mouth and she began shaking her husband's shoulders. Her voice sounded desperate as she choked through the tears streaming down her face:

CATHERINE: Nicky? _NICKY_! Don't leave me. _Please_ don't leave me here alone!

Catherine collapsed onto Nick's chest and began to cry uncontrollably as she realised that the only world she had ever truly felt safe and happy in had crumbled from underneath her, leaving her with nothing more than a destiny of unhappiness and loneliness. That world had been the one which Nick had been in. From colleague, to friend, to lover, to love, back to colleague, to love, then to husband. All the roles he had played over the past twenty something years she had known him. That world was no longer.

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**:( noooooo!**

**The aftermath chapters coming soon xx**


	42. The Small Chapel

_Catherine took a deep breath, a nervous smile sweeping across her face as she fiddled with the stems of the flowers which she held, gathered between her hands. She looked out of the foyer window in front of her, staring out into the bustling city which was full of mismatched buildings towering around the small chapel she was stood in, all battling with each other for supremacy. She couldn't believe how much the city had grown over the years that she had lived there. Casino's came and went, businesses were built, many had struggled in the financial climate and closed. Of course crime was high, but crime had always been high in Vegas. Sin City as it had always been known. _

_She felt somebody gently move a curl of her hair and Catherine turned to see her daughter looking at her with a warm smile. The twenty one year old had been so excited about this day, almost as much as Catherine had been. Lindsey had been busy bustling about that morning, as much as her large belly would allow her to, helping her mother get into her dress and curl her hair. She had been the one coordinating the older woman's timetable for the day, keeping in correspondence with the taxi to get them to the chapel, keeping in contact with Greg to make sure Nick was organised and prepared. _

_Catherine looked at her daughter proudly, hardly able to believe just how much the young woman had grown, from her tiny little girl to this adult who was able to organise and multitask with such ease. Catherine admired her, when she had been twenty one she had been living in the least ideal conditions for a young woman, her own mother having given up on trying to keep her in the safe confines of the family apartment. Catherine had been a rebel, dabbling in all the wrong crowds, a multitude of wealthy men doting on her whilst she worked the seedy nightclub scene to pay for her irresponsible drink and drug habits. She had wanted to be an actress, to work in theatre, to be up on the stage performing, and at the time that had been the only way to get onto any stage. She'd had no opportunities. No hope. Then one night, on her twenty fourth birthday, she had met a record producer whilst performing. Little had she known at the time that she would later marry that man. Eddie had been kind, offered her safety and the funds to pay for her rehab sessions. Soon after that she had met Grissom while he was investigating a case and the rest, as they said, was history. She went to college, became a trainee CSI and worked her way up to the position she was in now, as Supervisor of the grave shift. _

_Catherine stared at her daughter, who pulled her cell phone out of her small handbag presumably ready to text Greg, and had to admit that despite a shaky start to life she wouldn't change any of it for the world. It was all because her greatest achievement was standing right before her, ready to soon give birth to her very own greatest achievement. If she hadn't been working the clubs, she wouldn't have met Eddie, he wouldn't have paid for her rehab, she wouldn't have got clean, she wouldn't have met Grissom or been in any state to learn or to be taught, she wouldn't have got the job as a CSI, she wouldn't have met Nick, thus she would've never had Lindsey. Everything had had a consequence, and had come together to make her who she was today._

_Catherine looked to her left, at the large wooden doors of the chapel. It was thanks to the man standing behind those doors that she had her greatest achievement, if it hadn't been for Nick then it was likely Lindsey would have never existed. In a way, if it hadn't been for Nick, Catherine couldn't be sure that she would be the grounded person she was today. And for that she was forever grateful to him, because it was thanks to him that she had been able to realise the unstable relationship she had been in with Eddie, she had realised what it was like to be truly loved for who she was, to be treated properly, with respect..._

_LINDSEY: Right, you ready Mom?_

_Catherine turned back to her daughter just as Lindsey placed the cell phone back in her handbag. Her heart jumped up into her throat. She couldn't understand why she felt so nervous, after all this wasn't exactly her first marriage. Her first marriage had been ridiculously huge, full to the brim with guests from here there and everywhere, guests which had all been from Eddie's side of the family, and only a couple of Catherine's side. A lot of the venue, most of the guest list, and all of the schedule had been arranged by Eddie's mother, and at the time Catherine had tricked herself into believing that it had been exactly what she had wanted for her big day. In fact, the only decision she had made had been to have Grissom walk her down the aisle that day, even though she had only known him a few years. Today, however, she had decided she wanted to walk down the aisle unaided. The idea of walking from her lone, independent life to her new life with Nick meant something. She didn't want traditional, not this time around. She didn't want the huge venue, the hundreds of guests, the posh food (most of which she couldn't pronounce). She just wanted it to be simple and Nick had respected her wishes._

_Catherine took a deep breath as her daughter pulled her into a hug, her large belly pushing against her mother's stomach. Catherine remembered how awkward trying to hug people was when she'd been pregnant, not that she'd had many people to hug, and that was one aspect she really didn't miss about being pregnant. As Lindsey squeezed her hand with a huge grin Catherine smiled back. This was it. She watched as her daughter gave the chapel receptionist a thumbs up and the chapel was suddenly filled with the sound of organ music, setting a steady beat for Catherine to walk to._

_Catherine watched her daughter walk away from her towards the chapel doors which opened with a small creak. Her daughter's dress was perfect. Knee length, with enough fabric to cover over the bump, in a beautiful lilac colour and with wide straps which fell into a V-shape down the neckline. As she saw Lindsey disappear through the doors Catherine began to feel very nervous, smoothing down the front of her dress. Was it nerves or was it excitement? Everything with the wedding had happened so quickly, but the romance and the relationship had built slowly over time. From the first day they had met, to their first kiss, to the twenty years spent as colleagues getting to know the way each other worked personally and professionally, to the more recent months when they finally realised just how much they wanted and needed each other. It was the perfect foundation to build a marriage on. _

_Catherine found herself approaching the doors of the small chapel, her heart racing as she paused at the top of the aisle. Her eyes took in the old wooden floor which had a white carpet running down the centre of it, the small pews lining the edge which were decorated with white flowers and ribbon. Old windows lines the walls letting in the warm hot June sunlight, the beams of light striking the two crystal chandeliers that hung from the ceiling, looking unusually displaced in the old building. And at the end of the white carpet stood four figures. Lindsey had arrived beside Greg and both had turned to look up the aisle at her, their faces both wearing broad smiles. Greg was dressed in a fine tuxedo which she had heard that Lindsey had picked out with him the previous day. Standing at the top of the aisle was the chapel's vicar, an elderly man who had secretly confessed the previous day that he had once been a raging alcoholic but was now sober. And standing beside them, with his back turned to her, stood the figure of Nick. _

_As Catherine slowly made her way down the aisle she remained her focus on Nick, the smile on her face never fading. She wasn't quite sure why he hadn't turned around. Neither of them had spoken about whether or not he would, but she had always thought the anticipation of seeing her in her wedding dress would've been too much for him. Catherine looked to the right hand side of the aisle to see her mother on the front row of the pews, a tissue wiping a tear from her eye as she watched Catherine's every move. Her mother hadn't been so emotional at her first wedding to Eddie, but maybe that was because Lily had known that it wasn't the right thing for Catherine to do. She had never liked Eddie, and had kept her thoughts about the wedding to herself. But Lily seemed over the moon this time around, clearly emotional about the idea of her daughter finally marrying the man she truly loved after so many years. Lily was just happy to see her daughter finally happy._

_Catherine came to the end of the aisle, and stood beside Nick, looking at him excitably. He looked nervous but as he turned from his stony focus on the wall of the chapel to look at her, Catherine saw him exhale and a massive smile wipe over his face. _

_NICK: Wow. You look amazing._

_Catherine had to admit he looked amazing himself. The tuxedo Lindsey had helped him choose with Greg the previous day fitted him perfectly. He looked so rugged and handsome that if Catherine had it her way she'd have him in a tux every day! His face was clean shaven and free from stubble, his hair neatly cut, short on the sides and a bit longer on top, just how Catherine loved it. Lindsey had stepped over to them, taking her mother's flowers from her whilst giving her a quick peck on the cheek. Catherine watched as Lindsey and Greg sat down beside Lily. She felt guilty that Nick had no family of his own here with them today. She knew he had a big family, several brothers and sisters for starters, but he had insisted to her that they weren't coming. That they didn't want to come. Yet he had never given her a reason why, and she had never asked. What was the point? They were his family, if he wanted to talk it through with her then he would, but in his own time. Her hand tingled with excitement as Nick took hold of it and she entwined her fingers with his as they both turned to the vicar, ready to exchange vows and become husband and wife._

Catherine sat on the cold seat, barely moving an inch as she stared blankly at the wall in front of her. Her memory constantly dragged back to that happy day a couple of weeks before. One of the happiest days of her life. No, _the_ happiest day of her life. On no other day in her life had she been happy from the moment she had woken up right through to the moment she went to bed, except for the day that she had married Nick. But now she sat in a cold waiting room at the police station, ready to give a statement about what had happened the previous day. None of it mattered. Jamie was dead so he wasn't exactly going to be arrested and Nick…well Nick was…

Catherine sighed as she fiddled with her wedding band which was wrapped around her wedding finger. She wanted to cry but she had no more tears left. She had practically cried nonstop for the past eighteen hours and her eyes now hurt. Lindsey and Amelia had been driven home by Greg, driven back to Nick and Catherine's so they could keep Catherine company, but Catherine had done nothing more than curl up on her bed crying into one of Nick's jumpers as the memory of his final few moments circled her mind over and over again. Everything reminded her of him. Her whole house smelt of him. The nursery in their house, which he had spent so long decorating and furnishing, now sat almost like a tribute to him, as a credit to all the hard work he'd spent on it. His favourite food and beer sat in the fridge, his car now sat outside the house after a police officer had driven it home from the crime scene for her.

Catherine felt so alone as she heard people bustling about in the corridors adjacent to the corridor she was on. She used to be like them, getting on with her life at work, but now she felt as though her life had stopped, as though there was no way it could possibly go on without Nick. Catherine shook her head slightly, taking a deep shuddering breath as she tried to get her head around the idea that she was never going to see him again. She was never going to see those deep, dark brown eyes that had always looked so longingly and lovingly at her. She was never going to see that lopsided grin, or hear that deep, slow southern accent that had always made her fall for him over and over again. She was now a widow. _A widow!_

Her eyes looked down at her left hand as her right hand finger and thumb glazed over her wedding band. If only she hadn't waited twenty years to take action on her feelings for him. If only she had told him how she had felt sooner, maybe they could've spent several more years together as husband and wife. If only she hadn't been so stubborn, intent on protecting her career instead of succumbing to everything she knew was right. Who knew, if she hadn't have split from Nick when she had found out she was pregnant with Lindsey, if she had agreed to let him take care of her, then maybe they might've been married for twenty years by now? Lindsey might not have been an only child. Catherine and Nick might have had several more children, possibly some boys, some boys which would be around her right now, looking exactly like their father. Catherine wasn't sure if that would be a good thing or a bad thing, but either way she would never know for sure.

Catherine's stomach twisted as she thought back to the night before. If only she hadn't riled Jamie by calling him a sperm donor. If only she had remained in the shadows, hidden from Jamie's view then Jamie wouldn't have shot Nick. And even if he had tried to she would've been there with her gun, ready to shoot the young man before her husband had been harmed. Or even if she had managed to stall him that little bit longer, talked to him for a little while longer, then the armed response unit would've been able to deal with Jamie upon arrival, and Nick would no longer be dead. _Dead_. Nick was _dead_. It still felt alien to even consider it. But it was the truth.

Catherine jumped, hearing somebody clear their throat as they approached her nervously. She didn't look up to see who it was. She didn't want to. She didn't care who it was, somebody just wanting to give her their condolences like everybody else. It didn't matter how many people felt sorry for her, it was never going to bring Nick back.

ECKLIE: Catherine, I'm really sorry to hear about Nick.

Catherine's focus remained on her hands. The last person she needed to talk to right now was her boss. She knew she was probably in trouble for taking matters into her own hands. Matter which, had they just followed procedure and left the police to deal with it, may have resulted in a happier ending, though it was no guarantee they would have saved Amelia.

ECKLIE: I can't imagine how Lindsey must be feeling. She must be really upset.

Catherine nodded slightly. To say Lindsey had been upset was an understatement. She had heard her daughter crying in the nursery on and off throughout the night whilst she had been feeding Amelia. Lindsey hadn't spoken to her mother about what had happened, the young woman had heard it all from Brass, who had gone to the hospital to explain to Greg and Lindsey what had happened while Catherine had been taken home by a police escort. When Catherine had arrived back at the house she had curled up on a heap on the floor of the hallway until she had been found by her mother, who had been contacted as Catherine's next-of-kin should an emergency happen. Catherine had been taken up to bed to try to sleep, to no avail. Several hours after Catherine had heard her daughter and Greg arrive home, she had heard the door of her bedroom creak open and the light footsteps of her daughter creep across to the bed. Catherine had squeezed her eyes shut as she felt her daughter lie beside her and wrap her arms around her tightly, allowing her mother to cry heavily. Lindsey _was_ upset but Catherine…well Catherine was distraught.

EDDIE: I imagine it's a shock for you…you know…because you had worked with Nick for so long.

Catherine tilted her head slightly, her brow furrowing as she heard his words. He was speaking as though she was mourning the loss of her work colleague. She had lost a work colleague before. When Warrick had died she had felt upset. More than upset. She had lost one of her best friends. He had always turned to her in times of need and she had always enjoyed working cases with him, even if he had spent most of the time disagreeing with her methods of working a case. He had been the only one to have ever broached the subject of her attraction to Nick, to her close working relationship with him, an understanding that she shared with Nick that nobody else could come close to. Warrick had seen what she and Nick had had better than anybody else. Yes she had mourned the loss of Warrick, he had been their good friend and a close colleague, but for Catherine losing Nick felt like she had lost a limb. Like she had lost a piece of her soul.

ECKLIE: And I know he's Lindsey's father so of course there's probably some small feeling deeper down that makes this period of mourning a little more difficult to process than any of the other deaths we've had within the team.

_Some small feeling deeper down_? He really didn't have any idea that she and Nick had been married. That they had been in a relationship for six months. That in a way they had had some form of connection, whether they had realised it or not, for over twenty years. Catherine had no idea what to say or how to respond. It occurred to her that Ecklie still believed that the only affinity Catherine had for Nick was that he had been the father of her child, not because they had been married. Not that it mattered anymore. Ecklie wouldn't have to put them on opposite shifts because Nick was no longer here. He was…_dead_. Catherine pulled her head up to look at her boss, who's sympathetic face intensified a little at the sight of her puffy eyes.

As she opened her mouth to speak, Catherine noticed the door opposite her open, and a tall, gangly man stepped out into the corridor. She recognised him from the day shift team, and understood that nobody from the nightshift team was allowed to interview her because most of them knew her. He looked at her with a grim expression, presumably in an attempt to respect and possibly empathise with her, but she felt nothing.

OFFICER: Mrs Stokes?

CATHERINE: Yes.

Catherine nodded, her voice quiet and croaky, watching as he stood to one side to motion towards the office he had just walked out of. Catherine stood up, her head feeling light as she began walking towards the office. To be honest, no matter where she walked she felt as though the world was speeding past her at a million miles an hour whilst she was left to walk in what felt like slow motion, trying to get from one point to another without breaking down. It was difficult.

As Catherine entered the office, the officer gave Ecklie a curt nod before entering the office himself and closing the door behind him. But Catherine's boss did not process the officer's communication. Instead the man stared aghast at the door of the office where he had last seen Catherine, his mouth hung open as he tried to understand what he had just heard and witnessed. So _that_ was why Catherine looked so upset? Not because she had lost her work colleague, not because she had lost her very good friend, but because she had lost her _husband_. Ecklie collapsed into the chair Catherine had just been sitting in and brought his hands to his face. All these years, all these lies. He knew it didn't matter now but all he wanted to know was how long the couple had been hiding this secret for.

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**Thanks for the feedback and views so far everyone. The next chapter will be up soon. Not long until the end of this fic I'm sad to say. Sophie xx**


	43. You Were The One

A warm summer breeze drifted across the path, sweeping upwards to rustle amongst the green leaves of the trees which lined the edges of the small country church. The Texan sun beat down on the figures below it, several gathered together in six small groups, all dressed in black, all with sombre expressions on their faces. The focal person of one of the six groups was Lindsey, stood with a knee-length black dress on, her hand clinging to the handle of a pram which she rocked back and forth gently in the hope that her three week old daughter would continue to sleep peacefully. Beside her stood Greg, his arm wrapped supportively around her waist as he listened to other members of the group speak to his girlfriend.

Lindsey watched the members of the group, all of whom had eagerly approached her, excited to meet her despite the circumstances they were meeting under. To her immediate right were two of her father's sisters, Laura and Callie, both of whom stared at her with curious smiles. They had both been young mothers, like Lindsey, and now boasted five adult sons between them, their husbands standing around with the boys by a tree, trying to hide their cigarettes from Lindsey's grandmother. Another of Nick's sisters stood the other side of Greg. Maya was the eldest sibling and had spent much of her adult life following in her mother's footsteps working as a lawyer, with only one career break to have her daughter Phoebe. Having been brought up by a single mother as well, Lindsey would have liked to think that she could get on well with Phoebe, but the tall, dark haired twenty year old stared at the pram jealously before resuming her attention to her cell phone without so much of a smile. Her final two aunts stood amongst other groups with their husband's, neither had approached Lindsey yet, though she knew who they were from the portrait she'd seen at her grandparent's house the day before. Lindsey could hear everybody talking to her, but her mind wasn't focused on their specific words. All she found herself doing was staring at the woman stood opposite her who spoke to her in an apologetic tone. It was hard to believe that this woman was her grandmother. Her paternal grandmother. Somebody she had no affiliation with other than their shared blood. The woman was about the same age as her maternal grandmother, if not a bit older, and seemed to have a higher regard for proper conversation. One thing was for sure, Lindsey hadn't had the best first meeting with her earlier the previous day.

_Lindsey stood awkwardly at the top step of the grand house. She gazed behind her at the large gravelled courtyard which stood at the front of the building, with countryside beyond it spreading out far into the distance as far as her eyes could see. She wasn't sure why she felt so surprised by the grandeur of the place, her father had told her before that his parents had both been a highly successful judge and lawyer respectively until they had retired ten years ago. Her eyes caught the car which she knew Greg sat in patiently. Nick's parents had extended the invitation specifically to her and nobody else, not even her mother who remained at the hotel with Amelia._

_Lindsey jumped as the large front door creaked open, and she came face to face with an old, short, slim woman, who's sharp green eyes gleamed at her, drinking in all her features. Her expression was one of caution, as though she wasn't entirely confident that inviting the young woman to the house had been a good idea. In a tone that Lindsey could only describe as disappointment, Jillian Stokes stepped to one side, as a way of allowing the young strawberry blonde woman to enter the house:_

_JILLIAN: Well don't you look exactly like your mother…_

_Lindsey was taken aback by the comment. She'd only ever heard people say it as a compliment, never as a disappointed afterthought. With a small frown, Lindsey reluctantly stepped across the threshold into a grand entrance hall. As Jillian closed the door, Lindsey began staring at the family portraits which lined the walls at intervals. "What a large family" Lindsey thought to herself, as she glanced from a portrait of her father as a young man with another young man who looked just like him, her Uncle James she presumed, to a portrait of her father with his parents, his brother, and five sisters. _

_JILLIAN: Do you like tea?_

_Lindsey turned to face the woman who stared at her nervously. She had to admit her grandmother was dressed rather formally, a duck-egg blue pencil skirt with matching jacket, and black high heels which made Lindsey feel rather inferior. Her other grandmother wouldn't be seen dead in such an outfit. Maybe this was how she always dressed? Lindsey nodded, before following her host through a door which stemmed from the hallway. Her eyes took in the large bright lounge she had just entered. The walls were tall, painted white, and there was a grand light fitting in the centre of the ceiling. The room's windows stretched across the wall behind her which exposed light from the front of the house, which in turn highlighted the large mirror which stretched above the grand fireplace at the back of the room. In front of the fireplace stood two large sofas which faced each other, and beside them both was a large armchair with an old man sat on it. Lindsey watched her grandmother approach the man as he put his newspaper down to look at his wife._

_JILLIAN: Lindsey is here, dear._

_Lindsey shuffled her feet slightly. She felt nervous. If this man, her grandfather, was anything like her grandmother then she was in for a rather difficult time at their house it seemed. Nick had always told her that his mother was the strict one, the one who always had the standards and hoped to retain a good name and reputation for the family. Reputation – a horrible word. A word which could hold so many different meanings, something which a person could take years to build and seconds to break. Nick had always told Lindsey that his father was also one for holding high expectations but was actually a softie at heart, always wanting the best for his seven children no matter what route they chose. The young woman watched her grandfather stand up from his armchair, placing the newspaper down behind him, his deep brown eyes not turning from her once. She could tell he was nervous, as was her grandmother who had perched on the edge of the sofa. Suddenly a broad smile wiped across Bill Stokes' face, and Lindsey breathed a sigh of relief to see a smile identical to her father's. She watched as her grandfather strode over to her, pulling her into a warm and inviting hug, one which she gratefully received. Finally some acceptance._

_BILL: It's so good to finally meet you sweetheart._

_Sweetheart? Lindsey was surprised and impressed. She was pleased to meet him too as she had spent so many months asking her father about her paternal grandparents and what they were like. The kind man encouraged her over to the sofa where his wife sat, but as Lindsey sat down the woman stood up, reaching out to the teapot which stood on a small coffee table between the chairs. There was tension in the room and, as Lindsey accepted the cup of tea that was handed to her, her heart began beating a little faster with nerves. She wished her mother was here, at least then they could be nervous together._

_LINDSEY: Well, thank you for inviting me here today, and for organising the funeral._

_Her grandparents cleared their throats as they sat side by side on the sofa opposite her. It had been three weeks since Nick's death and before Lindsey had known what had happened she had received an email from Nick's mother letting her know that they were organising for the funeral and burial to be held there in Texas, where Nick belonged._

_LINDSEY: I know it's helped us a lot, especially as I'd just given birth to my daughter when…_

_Lindsey paused. She still hadn't uttered those horrible words. It was as though by saying her father had died would be like she was facing reality, and she wasn't quite ready for that. She presumed the couple before her knew about Amelia and that Nick would've been all too pleased to gush about his pending granddaughter._

_LINDSEY: And my Mom's been in no fit state to organise herself recently, let alone a funeral._

_Her grandmother gave a little snort before focusing on her cup of tea, and Lindsey looked at her in surprise. She remembered several weeks back that her father had revealed to her in confidence that his parents had never approved of his relationship with Catherine. That his mother had been angry and upset to find out that Catherine had kept Lindsey away from him for so many years, and no matter how many times he had tried to explain that nobody had known about his daughter's real paternity, his mother had still insisted that so long as he remained in a relationship with Catherine then his family would never be able to support him. Lindsey had felt rather afraid of her paternal grandparents when she had found that out, even though her father had insisted they were okay, but since arriving at the house she hadn't felt any more reassured. She watched as Bill turned to Jillian, placing a hand on her arm:_

_BILL: Be nice._

_JILLIAN: Be nice?! How can I be nice? That woman had been nothing but selfish for as long as Nicholas had known her._

_Lindsey was beginning to feel uncomfortable, and she shuffled her position on the sofa as her grandmother accused her mother of being something she was not. Her mother had hardly been selfish. She was sure she had made the decisions she had for the good of everybody involved. Lindsey took a double take as her grandmother stood up abruptly, the tea from her cup spilling onto the saucer, and the woman spat out her words as she pointed over at Lindsey._

_JILLIAN: I thought everything would be okay once Lindsey had arrived here. I want to love her, I really do! But how can I love her when she looks exactly like her mother and nothing like Nicholas?_

_BILL: It doesn't matter what we think Jillian. Catherine was his wife. Lindsey is his daughter. She's our granddaughter._

_JILLIAN: She's nothing like us! Neither of them are! I wouldn't be surprised if Catherine isn't doing drugs or working in those seedy nightclubs on the side like she once used to…_

_Lindsey stood up, her stomach twisting with embarrassment. She wanted to fight, to defend her mother who seemed to be in the firing line without having done anything. Her mother had once told her that she had worked in nightclubs when she had been young to try to pay the bills and to finance her drug habit, but she had reformed herself once she had been given the opportunity to have a career as a CSI. Lindsey had no idea how her grandparents knew about her mother's past, nor did she know if they'd ever met her mother as they seemed to suggest. The couple who stood opposite her stared in her direction, one with an angry expression, the other with a worried expression. Lindsey placed her cup and saucer down politely, clearing her throat as she did so:_

_LINDSEY: Well…thank you for…this. I'm going to go but…I'll see you tomorrow._

_Without waiting for a response, Lindsey paced out of the lounge, over to and out of the front door, and across the driveway to Greg who sat patiently in the car for her. Her grandparents were wrong. If she were exactly like her mother she would have stayed and argued it out with them, digging her heels into the ground. No, she was more like her father than they realised, choosing to take the higher ground, to hold her tongue, to politely leave a difficult situation so as not to make matters worse._

JILLIAN: I'm really sorry for what I said yesterday.

Lindsey looked from her grandmother, to the men stood either side of her, one being her grandfather and the other her Uncle James whom she had just met moments earlier. She could tell by the way the woman stared at her hands that she was embarrassed and Lindsey presumed it was thanks to her grandfather and uncle that she was receiving this apology. They must've told her off for being unreasonably rude.

JILLIAN: I suppose it wasn't until I heard your mother's eulogy today that I realised I'd actually underestimated how much Nicholas had meant to her.

Lindsey let out a long sigh as her grandmother looked up at her tearfully. She had to admit her mother's eulogy had been sad and heartfelt. Every word that had been spoken had been thoughtfully prepared in the woman's mind, only to gush out when it had come to sharing those words with Nick's large family, and his and Catherine's daughter and friends. Lindsey looked beyond the people around her to watch children, her cousins, running around squealing with delight as they chased a soccer ball across the grass. She wished she could go back to a time when she felt that happy. To a time when life seemed uncomplicated, with nothing more than herself to worry about. Now she had two people to worry about. She looked from her tiny sleeping baby girl, and turned her head to look over her own shoulder. Her eyes gazed up a small hill in the near distance and rested upon a figure knelt before one of the graves by the church. Her mother hadn't moved from that position in over an hour and Lindsey knew it was because she was struggling with the idea of having to say goodbye.

Catherine knelt, frozen, before a gleaming new gravestone. Her breathing was short and shallow as she tried to unbundle the mass of thoughts, words, and memories which had tangled in her mind due to the shock and stress of the past few weeks. _He was gone_. She felt as though a lifetime of happiness had been snatched from her grasp only moments after she had first grabbed hold of it. Now she was alone, naturally, like she always had been. Her eyes glazed over the letters of his name which had been carved into the stone and she took a deep breath as she remembered the first time she had laid eyes on it's recipient.

_Catherine breezed into the locker room with a fresh smile and a light sigh as she approached her locker to place her belongings inside. This evening was her first shift back since her wedding and honeymoon. She had to admit that seeing a ring on her finger was still unusual, as was the feel of the band around her wedding finger. Eddie had made the sweeping gesture several months earlier, much to her surprise. He had always claimed they would never get married as they were so different, but after a long argument which had resulted in Eddie confessing that he never wanted to see her with any man other than himself, he proposed, and Catherine hadn't hesitated in answering him. She owed him everything, he had bought her a new life thanks to the months of rehab he had paid for her to attend. He provided her financial security, he supported her desire to have a career, and he didn't mind that they didn't see much of each other because of their heavy work schedules. No, Eddie was the best thing she was ever going to get, and she was happy she had married him. _

_Catherine sprayed her new perfume and closed the locker door, clipping her pager to her belt whilst wrapping her fingers around a packed lunch she had prepared at home, before making her way over to the break room. If there was one thing she had learnt over the past couple of years it was to bring some form of pack-up to work with her, otherwise she would fall into the trap of buying some form of fast food whilst driving between scenes, or she would forget to have a break all together. Today's pack-up consisted of salad and chicken, and lots of it. She had just spent the past two weeks away in Hawaii eating and drinking whatever she wanted and now felt significantly fatter than she had done when she had slipped her wedding dress on a few weeks before. She hadn't drank as much as Eddie had of course, her husband was known for liking a good drink or several. Catherine's mother had spent practically the whole time she and Eddie had been together trying to tell Catherine that he was an alcoholic, but Catherine still remained that he just needed a drink to unwind. To Catherine's relief he had only got angry three times over the course of their honeymoon, turning their holiday apartment upside down on the last night because she had suggested that he may have drank a bit too much that day. _

_Catherine turned into the break room, looking around to see if any of her colleagues were sat in there, but the room was empty. She'd secretly hoped she might come across her new colleague. According to Grissom this 'Nicholas' guy had passion for the job, which was more than any of the previous CSI's she had tried and failed to train. They just hadn't been patient enough, desperate to get out into the field and solve crimes which couldn't be solved in the blink of an eye like their pre-conceived perceptions had told them. They had struggled with the unsociable grave shift hours, but most of all they had struggled to accept orders and advice from a woman. Catherine was still dubious that this new guy would be any better than them, particularly as the last guy who supposedly 'held a great future as a CSI' caved after the third week when they had found the victim of an acid attack near a sewer. _

_Catherine bent down to open the fridge and heard footsteps stop at the door. She peered over her shoulder briefly before placing her lunch in the fridge. She didn't recognise the figure which, from her quick glance, was of a tall male with a sleek sturdy physique. Catherine stood up, closing the door of the fridge. He was quiet, which took her by surprise. Normally the new guys introduced themselves almost immediately, they could never help themselves, especially as Catherine knew she was pretty attractive. It was her looks which helped get her further in cases than any of the men in her team. This guy hadn't moved though, and as Catherine reached up for her coffee mug she figured she would have to make the first move:_

_CATHERINE: Are you going to stand there staring all day?_

_Catherine heard his footsteps slowly make their way towards her and she took a deep breath. Great, another gawky, nervous guy who managed to blitz their way through all of the tests needed to get to the stage of a trainee CSI, rather than being measured for their ability to stomach the often gruesome job. It was going to be a very long few months if he wasn't a talker, if he even lasted that long. Catherine turned to the man who had just approached her and her breath caught in her lungs as she stared at some broad muscly shoulders. She looked up slightly, butterflies racing in her stomach as her blue eyes caught a pair of dark brown eyes belonging to this 'gawky, nervous guy'. But the thing was he was far from gawky. He was tall, dark and very handsome. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her embarrassed face. She was married. She had literally just got married weeks earlier, yet everything about this man so far made her immediately regret her marital status. Catherine squinted her eyes slightly while smiling, he would probably end up being like all the previous trainee's; patronising, egotistical, and unable to cope with their stressful job. No, other than looks there was nothing else that could possibly make him more appealing to her:_

_CATHERINE: You must be Nicholas._

_She watched him nod with a smile. Oh God that smile was possibly the nicest smile she had ever seen. It was warm, kind, inviting, and sexy. Catherine turned to reach for the coffee machine. She needed to just look away from him for a moment, to gain a bit of perspective. He was never going to be as amazing as his looks promoted. Guys that looked like that never were. She reached up for another mug and proceeded to pour coffee into it, followed by hers._

_CATHERINE: Grissom's told me all about you._

_NICK: All good things I hope._

_Catherine's smile grew as her heart melted. Not only was he the most handsome man she had ever had the pleasure of meeting, he also had the most sumptuous southern accent. Why did he have to be so perfect? Catherine rolled her eyes, telling herself off for being so silly. He wasn't that perfect. She couldn't even be sure that he was that attractive. Maybe it had just been the shock of seeing him for the first time, shock that he didn't wear glasses like the previous lot, or wear a suit, or have a lanky figure. No, he can't have been that perfect. Catherine took hold of the mugs of coffee and turned on the spot. Oh God he was perfect, certainly to look at. She held out his mug of coffee to him, and her hand tingled at the touch of his hand as it glossed over hers while he took the mug gratefully. She leant back against the work surface to take in his features. Her eyes moved from his dark brown eyes, to his handsome face, to his dark hair, down to his chest which boasted muscles, over to his arms which also boasted muscles, then her eyes quickly made their way back up to his eyes as she realised she was checking him out. As her heart hammered against her ribcage she had the feeling she was in trouble, she had never felt this giddy around any guy before, not even her husband. She fell into a trance as she sipped her coffee with a smile, happy to continue staring from his sexy, calm grin, up to his eyes, and back again. She wondered for a moment what it would be like to kiss those lips, to be held in those strong arms…_

_Catherine snapped out of her daydream as she noticed their supervisor enter the room. She had no idea what had just happened, but what she did know was that she was going to have to keep her feelings firmly under wraps, especially as it was likely this guy wouldn't last too long. For all his good looks he didn't look like the type to be happy standing waist-deep in a pile of manure looking for a corpse's finger, should a case like that ever crop up. No, unfortunately she imagined this nice looking man would be scared off by the unfortunate working conditions they would be going under in the coming weeks. Which was a shame, because Catherine would've loved every opportunity to see him promoted and making the most of the great future which was ahead of him…and of course the perk of being able to see him every day at work was something she would definitely not reveal when writing his assessment forms._

_GRISSOM: Ah good, I see you've both already met. Nick, this is Catherine, a CSI level 2. Catherine, this is Nick, the guy I've been telling you about._

_Nick. She preferred that to Nicholas, much less formal. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw him hold a hand out towards her, a grin spreading across her face as she looked up into his eyes and took his hand._

_CATHERINE: Nick…_

_Even saying it made her feel excited. There was something about the way he looked at her that made Catherine feel as though he loved her more than anybody in the whole world. As though there was nobody else who mattered but her. He seemed to give her a look that not even her own husband had ever given her, not even on their wedding day._

_GRISSOM: Catherine's just got back from her honeymoon so that's why you haven't met her until now._

_Catherine quickly dropped Nick's hand reluctantly, her stomach twisting as she was strung back to reality. Grissom was right, she had just got back from her honeymoon. That look Nick had been giving her was probably the look he gave all the women he met. She had been a fool, already desperate to find somebody to love her the way her new husband didn't. Catherine hesitated as she composed her smile, trying to remain friendly while attempting to create some distance before she strung him along like she feared he was going to do with her. She raised her eyebrows and took a sip of coffee before trying to lighten the mood slightly:_

_CATHERINE: Yep, two weeks in Hawaiian sun and this is how I end up. Red as a lobster._

_NICK: I think you look beautiful._

_Catherine paused. Had she heard him correctly? Had he just complimented her, in that gorgeous southern accent, after only the second time he had spoken to her? He must've told a million women that they were beautiful. It was only a line, and probably a popular one at that. The thing was, the man before her had seemed to hesitate, his smile had faded slightly and his cheeks had gone red, so much so that Catherine wondered whether he had meant to say it in the first place. As she looked at his embarrassed face she couldn't help the smile which wiped across her face. He was sweet. He was handsome and sweet. She let out a small giggle as she replayed his words in her head and quickly glanced at her supervisor who had a bemused grin on his face as he looked at Nick. Grissom had pre-warned her that the young man had a habit of saying what he thought before thinking, something which she knew she could train him to stop doing in time. Her blue eyes returned to the dark brown eyes of her new colleague. If he was only going to last the next few weeks she might as well make the most of his attention, after all she had no idea if any man as handsome as Nick would ever give her this sort of attention again. So with a flirtatious tone, she stood up straight, ready to squeeze as close to the attractive man as possible:_

_CATHERINE: Easy tiger. You won't want to face the wrath of my husband, believe me._

_Catherine squeezed between Nick and Grissom, taking delight in glazing her shoulder across Nick's chest as she made her way past them and over to the TV at the other end of the room. Her heart was still racing as she thought back to his good looks, and his deep brown eyes. Had he really been as good looking as she'd seen? As she switched the TV on she peered over her shoulder at Nick, her eyes catching his as he remained his focus on her. Her stomach flipped as she turned back to the TV. Yep, it was as though he got better looking with every moment she laid her eyes on him._

Tears ran helplessly from Catherine's eyes as she looked down at her husband's grave. She remembered every detail of that first meeting with him. Nick had forever made her feel as though she was the most important person on the planet, for as long as she had known him. Over the past three weeks she had cried uncontrollably at random intervals, desperately wishing she could turn back time, back to the time when she had first met him and to the moments over the years since, at all those times when she could've told him how much he meant to her. Her biggest regret was not telling him that she loved him sooner. She should've told him from the moment she had known, because she had spent the past twenty three years knowing deep down that he loved her. She knew he had loved her from the moment they had first met, to their first case together, to the first case they had won, and the moments Nick had been promoted thanks to Catherine's guidance. From the more intimate moments like their first hug, their first kiss, the first night they had slept together, and the subsequent meetings following that night. He had loved her during the time Catherine had ended their fling, to the awkward months following, to the Christmas party when Nick had chosen not to drink to support her with her pregnancy, and to the moment he had first held Lindsey. She knew he had loved her throughout the twenty one years after that, because he had always looked at her in a way that nobody else did, as though there was nobody else in the world who mattered more than her. And every time she had caught his eyes while he looked at her in that way, she would fall further in love with him again and again and again.

Catherine wiped the tears from her cheeks with a sniff. She was never going to see those dark, brown eyes again. She was never going to be looked at in that way again. She was never going to love or be loved in that way ever again. How could she when the love of her life was no longer alive.

CATHERINE: I guess I always knew I loved you Nicky, and you loved me. I just…I wish I'd have told you sooner. Told you that you were the one…

* * *

**Longest chapter yet, and I could've gone on for longer, but I couldn't include what I wanted to include very well so...I may have to do one more chapter :) xx**


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